Breaking Through
by Crystal Renee
Summary: He was made to kill, searching for his reason. She was young, searching for her meaning. But the two are oddly attracted to each other, and changes occur rapidly... and emotions and danger come hand in hand with these changes.
1. Made To Kill

**Disclaimer:** Nope... I don't own the wonderful Rurouni Kenshin. If I did would I be here writing these? No, I'd be making more episodes for you guys instead! 

**Authors Notes**: Seems I have muses. And they don't want me working on 'Silhouettes of Shadows'. They want me to start a new story. I'll get something out on 'Silhouettes of Shadows' for those of you who are reading it, but I can't promise when because my mind just isn't into the story at the moment. I think I'm going to change the summary, title, and everything about the story. It is a sequel so it's going to be like 5 or 8 chapters or something in between. I don't expect anything over 10, okay you guys? Anywayz, this story started out as something I was just typing up on Powerpoint. I did it on powerpoint so that I could play around with pictures and stuff for each different chapter (this chapter was originally 2 separate chapters, one called 'Made to Kill' and the other 'Prayers of the Assassin'). Well, let me know what you think. I don't know where this is going for sure but I know this isn't the end! I will decide after this chapter if I'm gonna put it under just Kenshin, under Romance and add Kaoru in, or Angst w/ all that dark stuff that I tend to write... that will be decided after this chapter. Therefore, you need to review!

**_Breaking Through_**

_**Chatper 1- Made To Kill**_

He slunk about, slowly, silently, undetectably and to the point that he appeared to be nothing more than a shadow. His dark demonour mixed well with the shadowy surroundings, causing him to appear invisible. His speed was awesome, something that could not be seen with the human eye. You could see, if you tried hard enough, just a slight blur in the shadows. It took no energy from him as he ran, and zeroed in on that  
night's target.

He stopped suddenly, dust swinging around the bottom of his white hakama and sandals. He was rimrod straight as he stood, hand hovering slightly over his katana. The wind pulled his crimson locks around his form, and his amber eyes formed into the slits of a hitokiri about to kill, his senses high.

His moments were trained and almost mechanical the way he stepped and attacked were always the same. Left foot out, draw the sword, swing with ungodly speed, step back, sheath the sword, check for witnesses, turn and leave. Everytime was the same thing. The montonous tone of the job made the sin easier for him to bear.

There wasn't time for him to ponder what he was doing, he just had to kill and kill with accuracy, and then leave the scene. He didn't have to clean his sword from the blood, and it was too dark to see the blood on his clothing. He bathed before he turned in, not giving him a chance to see the blood on his body when the light came. To him, the slaughtering he did had never even occurred. His mind just pushed the memory away, his body allowing him to believe that he was pure.

Tonight was no different than all the other midnights he'd spent out on the streets.

The dark of the stifling fog that night concealed his body well, his eyes not the only things searching for his victim. His senses picked up the presence he was looking for, and they were closing in on him, inch by inch. He didn't worry about that though. His aura was calm yet strong, dark and dangerous, and if sensed by another, would send them off running in fear. He ignored that fact of his ruthlessness, and crouched into his best position of ambush.

Voices began to slice through the hazy gray fog that held their doom. He listened; his ears helping him judge the distance between him and his prey for the night. He discovered there to be five different men walking toward him, and he could tell by the ki that only one knew how to handle a sword, the others probably just carried them to look stronger. He was still calm; too clam if that was possible. It was like nothing to him as he judged himself to have about two minutes to finish his planning for attack.

The voices became louder and still he sat, crouched, in his battou-jutsu stance, hand hovering dangerously over his katana. His navy blue gi helped him to blend better into the shadows as he waited. The men that were nearing were Shisengumi men, he could tell by the colors of the clothing they adorned. His was that of the Ishin Shishi, but he still was not afraid as his enemies drew closer.

For anyone else, a five against one fight was spelling out disaster for themselves. But for him, it wasn't even merely a workout. A small, notorious grin spread across his cold and emotionless facial features. The manslayer within him, so close to the brink of evil, was prepared and was simply ticking the long seconds away before he could comply with his twisted bloodlust.

He glanced up, his grin still placed upon his face, as his victim and 4 guards stopped before him.

"Ishin Shishi!" one of them yelled. "Push the senator back, and lets handle this one."

"He doesn't appear to pose much of a threat, although is aura is quite strong." another member stated, pushing the babbling politician behind him and the other three Shisengumi members. "I think this will be an easy one."

He just grinned, his blood red hair swishing across his face in a manner that resembled leaves blowing in the trees or smoke swirling high from a fireplace. Tonight he decided to humor them and let the victim attack first.

One of them launched but didn't even make it within two feet before he dropped to the floor, eyes wide and lifeless as blood began to slowly seep out away from his parted lips. He was the first killed by the hitokiri that night.

Another dove toward the man clad in Ishin Shishi colors that were now stained in bright crimson blood that dripped from the cloth and from his concealing bangs. He fell on top of his comrade, his head flying off to a corner where it stopped upon hitting a wall.

The second to die by his hand that night.

The other two decided to jump up in a last pit attempt to destroy the small boy assassin, he couldn't have been a wink over sixteen. They also fell with their fellow samurai, one sliced through the back and the other through the chest.

The assassin laughed. This was almost too simple for the pay he was receiving for doing it. He stepped over the bodies of the recently deceased, the grotesque scene not affecting him in the slightest. He neared his true target, who was curled up in a ball, and begging for mercy. The poor man would not get his final wish that night.

"Stand up and fight. I do not kill when someone is not fighting back," he told him, kicking him roughly so he uncurled and sprawled out to the floor. "I know you know how to use your sword. Humor me."

The politician shakily stood to his feet drew his sword in a last pitch attempt and saving his life from the merciless killing machine before him, standing with his sword drawn and ready. His hands shook as he stared at the crimson hair and then the trademark on his cheek.

The cross-shaped scar.

His eyes grew in recognition of the man that was going to win the fight that night. He held his sword out before him in a vertical fashion, hoping to at least gain himself a few more seconds of precious air.

The assassin just grinned and waited.

The man made no attempt to attack, just stood there frozen in his spot, scared to the point sweat began to bead and fall from his brow and make his hold on the sword's hilt slip. He gulped a few times in a futile attempt to gain his composure upon realizing he would have to make the first attack in the battle that would claim his life.

After a moment, he swung his sword and was shocked to find it clashing roughly with that of the hitokiri before him. Their faces were mere inches apart as they stared at each other across the crossed weapons. The amber eyes that glared back at him caused his blood to run thin. The grin returned to the assassin's face, but his eyes still held the angry, deadly glare.

"Remember it was the Battousai who took your life tonight," the assassin stated before drawing his wakizashi with his other hand, slamming it into the senator's chest, slicing his heart in two.

The politician had no change to scream and make the Battousai noticed before he slipped off of the smaller sword and collapsed to the ground in a bloody heap. Battousai sheathed his wakizashi and then his katana, sending his energy out around him to sense for anyone running from the scene or near the scene that could have seen the murders. He felt nothing.

In one swift movement, he was traveling in a separate direction than that in which he had used to get to where he had killed that night. He was using his full skills, running at speeds unimaginable to the human mind. Surprisingly his body did nothing to protest the rigorous movements he had been using, and he continued in this fashion until he reached the place he needed to stop.

The Inn that served as the headquarters for his group also housed him. He walked up to the gate, opened it and walked to the back to bathe the sin.

He walked farther into the yard; opening the door to the bathing house and throwing some logs in to heat up a fire for his bath. He stripped clean of his blood soiled clothing, tossing it over into a heap with the clothing of the other assassin who worked with assignments earlier in the night than he did. The women that worked for the Ishin Shishi would wash them and return them to their respective owners.

Battousai slipped into the tub of scalding water, the dark not affecting his ability to know where things were nor the efficiency of how he took the water and cleansed his body of that night's sins.

He finished; clothed in the yukata he had set in there before leaving, and left without taking the time to breathe. To breathe would cause him to smell the blood of those he had slain that night. Walking inside, he leaned against his wall, katana at his side, and went to sleep, where nightmares plagued him.

* * *

"Himura... I see you did your task." came a voice across the room.

The shadowed assassin now sat in a room, his mind wandering away from the meeting at hand. He glanced up upon hearing his name.

"Battousai always does his job, not matter what interferences there may be." he responded in a casual tone.

The other men shook their heads. This man, the assassin, was always to calm for his job. There was never a hint of anger from him at his workplace, only when he killed. Many figured it was his way to vent out his frustrations and angers. Others believed it was his pure lust for the blood of others.

Battousai looked at the leader who was holding the important meeting that seemed like nothing to him.

"Himura, you did well last night." his employer continued, looking directly at the Battousai. His amber stare did not scare his employer. "There was no trace of the murders. I would like to know where you hid the bodies."

Battousai's eyes widened in shock. "I didn't move the bodies. I left them in the alleyway where I killed them. Perhaps they have yet to find the exact alley."

His boss nodded. "As long as they were killed that is all that matters. Our work is becoming much easier thanks to you, Himura."

He nodded and fixated his eyes on the board behind some of the other assassins that crowded the large room. There was a map posted upon it.

"Here is where we will strike tomorrow," his employer stated, pointing to a directed spot that was the east side of Kyoto. "Not all of you will be going out tonight. Most of you have been helping every night with the north side, and the east is not as heavily covered as the north was."

"Katsura." one of the other men stated. "Which ones will be going?"

Battousai's employer turned. "If you receive a black envelope tonight, you will be going, but the next night will be free for you to do as you please. I am going to switch off every night to keep you all in as peak physical condition as I can."

"Except for me, I presume?" Battousai asked in and irritated tone.

"Himura, you've fought basically nonstop for nearly thirteen years. You will be off for the week."

Battousai's eyebrow rose at that. "Because."

"You are crucial to us later." Katsura stated. "Do not question the judgment, Himura."

Battousai nodded and then leaned back in the western luxury he was seated in. The chair was made of mahogany, with a rich red velvet seat cushions to make it more comfortable. He was just as comfortable on the floor, but Battousai knew better than to do something so primitive during a meeting. He had a whole week to sit on the floor after this meeting concluded.

His thoughts roamed everywhere but to the meeting. He had learned early on, when he first started working for the Ishin Shishi when he was the young age of fifteen, that the meetings had nothing to do with his job. He was there mainly as a means of proof that he was committed to the cause of the Ishin Shishi, and that was all.

The information he needed to pay attention to always would come to him clad in a black envelope with his name engraved upon the front. The black envelopes had symbolized his job for the past thirteen years, and that wasn't going to change. The black was to remind him of the dark deeds that were contained inside the simple wrapping. They held the names of the people who would soon find permanent darkness due to his silver, blood stained sword. The black was to tell him that he did his job at night, in the shadows, and that he was nothing more than black death to the people who's names were inside the envelopes.

The meetings held no true importance to him at all. Directions, dates, times, and names were all the information he needed and they came in his small, black envelopes. His job was simple to comprehend, yet complex all at once. What was a simple task to him was usually a deadly challenge to everyone else in the room.

But he had to admit that thought of a week away from the sins was good. He never remembered how he killed the people, and everything just droned on. He never had a memory of the killings. But he knew he had done it. He had no proof to lay this on. He didn't see his clothes stained with blood, didn't see his swords dripping the thick liquid and his body never smelled like blood. He never remembered the attacks he had made. All he knew was that he had done it because his envelope was missing the next morning  
and he was supposed to turn it in after he had finished his nightly patrol.

So a week without having to worry about if he had killed or not was somewhat of a relief to the twenty-eight-year-old assassin. Everyone thought of him to be younger, for his appearance gave off that air. But he knew he was not sixteen or eighteen like everyone else seemed to think. He wasn't as weak as he appeared, either. It was all a game to him. Everyone thought the exact opposite about what was true.

His thoughts swam around these subjects, picking up one or two for a few fleeting moments before passing on to a new one. Battousai waited for the meeting to adjourn, while he kept fake interest on his face while inside he didn't have a clue what was coming out of the mouths that were moving. He just waited.

"Himura, the meeting is over." Katsura stated.

Battousai snapped out of his revere, looking around to see the room empty.

"I was thinking." Battousai half lied.

Katsura shook his head. "Get out of here Himura, I have another meeting in fifteen minutes and I can't have you in here."

Battousai stood. "Thanks for the hospitality. I appreciate it." he stated, sarcasm dripping on each word. He turned and walked out of the room, not waiting for a response.

Battousai went straight to his room, shut and locked the door, and then drew the curtains shut. He wanted it to be dark. He looked around the plain room. There were books piled on the floor that he sometimes used for sleeping, a futon in the corner that had yet to be unrolled from the when he had first come into the apartment room. His eyes flew over to the closest that held his gi's and hakama's. In the corner was a rack to place his swords on. The only sword that ever adorned the rack was his wakizashi.

His katana stayed with him at all times.

His eyes finally settled on an interesting knot in the wood planks of the floor. He traced the curves of it with his amber gaze, finding it oddly fascinating at how it curved and dipped slightly in the middle, how it was rougher than the rest of the wood and stuck out like a sore thumb.

It reminded him vaguely of himself. Easily picked out of the rest.

The main thing was his red hair. Not many Japanese people had red hair. Most had brown or black. Another thing that caused him to stick out was the crossed shaped scar that adorned his left cheek. His hand went to the scar unintentionally, and he remembered exactly how he got the scar. He shook his head, scolding himself for dwelling on such memories. He went back to his musings on why he stuck out so much from the rest.

His eyes were another thing, he decided after a long talk within himself. They weren't naturally the amber that everyone saw. Underneath the hitokiri golden shade was his natural, birth given violet shade. But his eyes hadn't been violet for a long time. The closest they had gotten to violet was a steely, haunting shade of blue that he had shown  
only to one person in the past ten years.

That brought him back to him musing of the strange scar, upon realizing a connection.

The same person who had completed his cross-shaped scar had been the only one who had seen his eyes in the state between violet and amber. He leaned back and tried in vain to remember exactly what she had looked like. It wasn't a hard task, for he could never forget how he had lost her. It was etched in his mind and replayed in nearly all of his dreams, causing him indescribable pain as he remembered. He had killed her. He knew that. He just couldn't accept it.

With all of the musing he had gone through that day, the Battousai decided to do something that he had never thought of doing in a long time.

He prayed. Even if it was silently, and he highly doubted that Kami-sama would listen to a sin, blood-covered hitokiri, he still prayed.

It wasn't a matter of if he was heard or not, and it didn't matter much to him if he was granted the help he wanted. It was merely a matter of knowing he had done it, of the attempted at closure.

_'Kami, I know you probably don't wish to listen to an assassin, and personally I really don't care. I have not been one to pray to you or any other gods to out there. My life has been a total wreck ever since I was young, and in a sense I still blame you even if it was my own doing. I have to ask you, did you forget about me? Did you forget about Kenshin Himura?_

_You know it all started when I was eight, and still known as Shinta. You took away mother and father, the only family I had. Then, I was placed in with slave traders. Where were you when the bandits attacked us and killed the women who had become sisters to me? Why didn't you let Master save them, too?_

_I was taken in by my master, and trained in the sword technique Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, the one I use to destroy people in the way of the peaceful era I have been fighting so hard to gain._

_I was actually content with my master. He was harsh in my training, demanded the best and often called me his stupid pupil, his baka deshi, but in the end, where was I better off? I never even got a chance to finish my training, Kami-sama. You know why? Because you decided to add more turmoil to my life. You made me feel the need to help the people. But did you really want me to become what I am now?_

_Katsura hired me as a hitokiri when I was fifteen. I killed for the fist time soon after, and I have never stopped. No one ever got away from my blade; no one lived to tell of me. The Himura Battousai with who is speaking to you now was formed due to those facts. But of course, Kami- sama, you had a lot more in mind._

_You brought her into my life. And for once in a long time I thought I was going to be happy, I thought I was going to be happy. But of course not Kami-sama, you had other plans for me._

_You let her come deeper into my life, made her mean more to me. Did you do that on purpose to hurt me again, to make this festering scar and the pain and anger and hatred I live with greater? Why did you take her away from me, Kami-sama? What did you make me kill Tomoe?_

_I believe that you have placed a curse upon my life. Or maybe I did it myself by surviving the plague that killed my parents, is that the reason behind all this? Are you ever going to allow me closure? Are you ever going to let me be and live happy, Kami-sama? Are you ever going to let me be Kenshin?_

_Part of me believes you won't, but another wishes otherwise. All I really want from you is a chance to heal from these wounds, to clear myself of my sins. Is that too much to ask from you, after everything I've been through, Kami-sama?'_

Finished, he lifted his gaze to the ceiling, and closed his eyes, bidding himself to sleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: So... what did you all think of that? Good, bad, should I keep or should I scrap it! Help me decide! Review, please: pouts to you : I WOULD LOVE YOU FOREVER: crushes you with a hug :

Luv,

Crystal Renee


	2. Training With Two

**Disclaimer:** Nope, I don't own Kenshin. The penguins won't let me. 

**Author's Notes:** Okay people, I heard somewhere that the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu was the 'sword for the innocent', so I put that in here, okay? Tell me if I'm wrong or not and I'll edit it when I find out, okay? Anywayz, I have this chapter to page 4 right now and I must end. I have Geometry homework. I'll write more before I post it, and I will go through the whole thing to see where I can add things in. This chapter has a lot of Kenshin's thoughts told from a different point of view, not as if he was saying them in his mind. They are told as if I am looking at him and am describing them to you. Just to clear up any possible confusions! Oh! And this is an Alternate Timeline, where I've pushed everyone back into the war but kept their same ages. Anywayz, on with the chapter!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 2- Training With Two_**

Battousai walked out of the Inn, his mind set on training that day away from the rest of the assassins. He didn't know exactly where he wanted to go, though. He remembered some words from his master, Hiko Seijuro. 'Kenshin you baka deshi, train somewhere that you won't get your sword caught on someone's clothing!'. That had been preceded by a long thousand swings as punishment. Kenshin had made up his mind, and decided to find a deserted field nearby to practice in. He wouldn't be a threat there.

Kenshin turned a bend, his mind wandering as he walked through paths that were hidden as trees and other forms of foliage grew over the deserted runs. He walked through the course with practiced precision, not missing a single curve in the road.

Two hours had flown by when he finally stopped. Kenshin took in his surroundings, his mind processing every spot that an enemy could use to sneak up on him. The field was open, filled with lush green grass that blew gently with the slight wind that traveled across the expanse of land. There were a few stones sticking up here and there, masking the appearance of a gentle field. Around the edges trees of all forms lined the area, forming small shadows as the sun rose higher into the sky. He gazed up at the cloudless light that filled the sea colored sky.

This was much different than what he was used to. The light of the day contrasted sharply with the dark he was used to, to the extent that it hurt his eyes. No matter to him, he needed to train and that was the only reason why he had gone two hours out of his way to get here. Hand on the hilt of his trusty katana once again; he stepped out into the rich green field, imagining that he was swimming the string-like grass as he trained.

He stopped in the center of the field, where his position was the safest. The Battousai took one more look around himself, checking for people crouching behind rocks or disappearing behind bushes and large sakura trees. The gentleness of his surroundings were haunting to him, so much different from the dark, bloody things he had become accustomed to. But yet, the tranquility of the small oasis was not unwelcomed by the hitokiri. Even past the haunting vibe it seemed to give off, he somehow managed to find some comfort in the serene feel of the area. The grass licked teasingly against his ankles where he stood, and for one the Battousai didn't grin in earnest at the strange things he found here. Instead, he kept a steady gaze, no grin  
came to his face, but his eyes reverted from cold amber to alert blue.

Taking his position in the perfect form he needed, his sword was drawn, hacking away at invisible enemies and grass. The speed with which he drew was god-like in fashion.

He drew the sword back, twisting his body in an awkward angle and swung his weapon toward the ground, dirt spitting up where the blade had been dragged across the ground. Battousai practiced like this for a while, not doing any special movements, just warming up so the stress his body would feel would not attack unmoved muscles. Finally he drew his sword back, jumping up into the air at a height that most would say was impossible. He flipped around, holding his blade down horizontally and flew down onto a tree that had grown close to the center of the prairie. Battousai caught himself in his landing, and turned away, listening as the tree fell about into two pieces, each hitting the ground at separate times.

"Ryu-Tsui-Sen." he told himself out loud as if refreshing his keen memory. "Dragon Mallet Flash, to hammer an enemy by using your weight while diving from the sky."

He held his sword out again.

Another twist of his body produced the Ryu-Kan-Sen-Tsumuji, a faster version of the Ryu-Kan-Sen.

"Dragon Wind Up Flash, dashing at an opponent without gravity and sending a direct blow below the skull." he recited in his memory, pretending his master was there to reprimand him if he got something incorrect.

His heart still wasn't thumping to the extent most would figure it should have by now. He as used to this kind of training, and to him, it was a lot more lenient than how he had been originally trained. He performed another deadly attack, the Ryu- Sho-Sen.

"Dragon Rising Flash. To rise and attack the opponents vital points on the way up." he told himself before repeating this particular move a few more time to have the maneuvers intact in his mind for later reference.

Battousai performed a Do-Ryu-Sen, which was an attack toward the ground, sending debris flying towards the enemy for a long distance attack. He stood after that, took in one deep breath, and continued with his katas, extending his sword arm and forgetting his surrounds. For once Battousai dropped his guard, feeling safe in the brightly lit field as he fought with invisible enemies. Every attack was precise and would have proven deadly if performed upon an actual human. Sweat dripped slowly from his brow, cooling him off as he continued relentlessly in his practice.

"Up, down, to the left." he told himself, trying to imagine three enemies coming at him at once.

His sword flew around in a flurry of awesome speed. He stopped only for a split moment, and then continued on, racing through his attacks like his sword burned his calloused hands. His mind was completely set on his art.

In a fraction of a second, he spun again, attacking from his left side where he had lost sight of any possible threat in his imaginary fight. He brought his sword down as a fake and then up again, as if to slice through the opponent's throat. But instead of slicing through air like had been, he met resistance. And not the resistance of a tree branch or anything small, but a strong resistance that fought back with him.

He spun and pushed the resistance down, holding the person to the ground with his weight as he hovered over top of them, his sword pressing roughly against theirs. His eyes had been shut and his senses had been blocked, so Kenshin cursed himself for not preparing himself for someone to sneak upon him. He opened his eyes, which grew wide with his discovery.

There was a young woman, a sword of wood drawn in her defense, staring at him out of shock. His blue eyes were quickly shielded with unforgiving amber.

They stood there like that for a moment or two; Battousai's katana pushing roughly on it's broadside against the young woman's bokken. He took in her profile, quickly assessing if she would pose any form of a threat. Her muscles on her upper arms were clearly toned by the fact that he continually added pressure and she didn't pull back. She wore a beige gi and darker brown hakama pants, to allow her better free movement than a restricting kimono would. Her dark ebony hair was pulled back in a high ponytail much like his own, her azure eyes glaring back at him.

If he wasn't mistaken, he would say she was giving him the same intense look of assessment that he was giving her. Battousai's pride didn't let him back down from the woman or become the first to speak on his own behalf. He waited for the young beauty before him to make the first statement. If he had to, he would stand there all night waiting.

All the young woman did was stare back at him and huff, gripping her bokken tighter. Battousai just glared at her, no hint of an agitated grin or amused smile crossing his features. He was surprised that she was standing there glaring at him like that. Park of him wondered if she had any clue as to his identity. The red hair must not be enough for her to see who he truly was. He briefly wondered if the trademark scar was showing.

"Why are you on my property?" she asked him, her voice soft and yet commanding.

He looked at her. "Your property?"

She rolled her eyes. "That's what I said, isn't it? Besides, why are you practicing on your own? It's much more efficient to train with someone else."

He glared at her. "Because I never have."

"Why this field, then? Why not at your home?" she questioned him, pulling her bokken back slowly. "I don't understand."

"Would you rather practice at your home or in some place where you won't break something?" he asked her, annoyance creeping into his voice as he did.

She shook her head. "I own a dojo."

Battousai had to keep a good check on his emotions. "What do you teach?"

"Kamiya Kasshin Ryu." she replied. "The sword that protects without killing."

He grinned at that. "Kenjutsu is an art of killing, nothing can change that."

"I've done perfectly fine my own ideals. I don't know what yours are, sir, but I know that mine are just as effective as any other!" she stated angrily, her grip on her bokken tightening.

"I use the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Heavens Flying Honorable Sword flow, sword for the innocent." he responded slowly. "It uses god-like speed to kill, as I'm sure you noticed."

The woman just glared at him. "It wouldn't have to kill."

"That's is what it is meant for." he told her. "That is how I will use it."

Battousai was intrigued by this young, naïve woman. He decided that now was a good time to show her the scar marred his skin. He moved his crimson hair away from his left cheek to expose the cross-like shape. Her eyes flew to the scar, as expected.

"Is your scar supposed to scare me?" she asked him, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently. "If you want to use my field to practice, I'd suggest you ask now before I forbid you from it."

He glared at her, weighing his options. He could hold her at sword point and tell her that he would do as he pleased. But that held no true hope, for she would immediately know who he was and he wouldn't kill her. That would mean she'd be open to tell who ever she wanted that she knew exactly what the Battousai looked like. After a deliberation within himself, he decided the best thing to do was ask.

"May I come here to practice?"

She gave him a once over look as if assessing him. "I don't see why  
not but if I find you out here when I come to practice, I expect some verbal interaction. I can't stand people who refuse to talk. I'd also like to challenge you to a friendly spar."

Kenshin was taken aback. She was asking the Battousai to spar with her? Did this woman have some strange death wish? Or maybe she just didn't realize who he was yet. He shook his head, deciding that he could really do no harm on the young woman if he held back during the sparring.

"Now or later?" he asked.

"Later." she told him. "I didn't bring an extra bokken and it isn't fair to spar in a friendly way with two different weapons, one metal and one wood."

"I have a wakizashi." he informed her.

"Of which I will not use."

"What is your name?" he asked her suddenly without thinking.

"Kamiya Kaoru."

The woman spun and left, not bothering to say goodbye or to ask Kenshin his own name. That was partly a relief on his part. Should he tell her if he was Kenshin, or should he give her some other name? She as bound to ask someday. Eventually he pushed the thoughts from his mind. There was no reason to trouble himself with something such as this since it had yet to happen.

To amuse himself he spent some more time practicing. The sun was starting set in the west, which meant that soon the light abyss he had found soon turn to dark, like everything else in his unforsaken life. These troubling thoughts began to cloud his mind again, diverting his attention away from his training again. It seemed as if no one wanted him to train today.

He continued with his crisp, clean movements, precise and accurate as he swung the burden around. Funny he had never really pictures his weapon of choice as burden before, but now it appeared to him as if that was the best explanation for something that could kill and add to his sins, burdening his life with more guilt everytime he dove, spun, sliced, and heard the wind travel across the blade with a hissing sound as it sliced the life out of the air, and sometimes, people if he was on a mission that was sent to him in those hellish black envelopes.

The dark thoughts began to fill his head and he slowly began to wonder, why hadn't he lashed out on the young woman? What had compelled the hitokiri to back down and let someone sneak up upon himself so easily, especially someone with the ki of a warrior held within the petite womanly physique? Was he finally falling over the edge, just because of a week's vacation? Was he losing his touch? Or did that woman mask herself from him and attack? Was she that skilled?

His head started to ache as the questioned began to build, causing an overload in his mind. But his thoughts refused to stray back to his movements that masked his lack of concentration. They stayed put on the image of the young woman. Her glossy hair, intense eyes, determined expression and compassionate nature. And the questions continued to haunt him.

Would she have acted that way if she knew of the hitokiri he truly was? Would she have acted on impulse as she had with him, feel at an almost ease like she had around him? Would she have challenged him as thoughtlessly as she just did a mere few minutes ago? Upon realizing who he was, would she have continued to fight back or fallen back in a shaken terror like so many men? Or would she have held her ground in her indescribable pride? He wasn't sure which ones would have been answered yes or no. All Battousai knew was that he wantedhad to- know.

He continued on with his training, half wondering if the girl would come back before it grew dark. He decided that she wouldn't. She had, after all, told him that she ran a dojo, so he supposed she had some cleaning and other things to do. He dropped his sword, his chest heaving hard and fast as sweat poured front every place it could escape from his overworked body. His muscles ached something terrible, yet he chose to ignore their protests to his movements.

The sky was turning the brilliant shades of dusk, alerting him to the late time he had spent out in the represses of this enlightened field. Kenshin finally sheathed his katana, taking the burden from his weakened arm and to his belt. Unconsciously his eyes flew to the place in which the woman had left, but only for a few fleeting moments before instilling themselves to the trip ahead. If it took another two hours, he wouldn't be returning until well after the darkness fell.

Forcing himself to walk against the excruciating pain that shot throughout his shins and thighs, he pushed onward, hoping he could regain enough energy to sprint back to the Inn. But part of him wanted to go back to the field. He had never felt so content and at ease in a long time; not since before he began his ways as a manslayer, one which stole life in order to protect the greater good. At least that was what he was tricking himself into believing now.

That opened up a whole new prospect of questions for his uncertain mind. What was he fighting for now? The war just seemed to drone on with each passing year, never ending, neither side gaining more than the other. They were equally matched with both men in the service and death tolls caused by their raid or swords.

Kenshin knew the only reason the Ishin Shishi had any real advantage was him. But at the same time, he was only a minor help to the cause.

Would the war have ended if he had never joined? He guessed that it would still be raging on like it was. He had never really entered in on any of the bloody battles. He bathed in a bloodshed all his own, entirely one where he was alone, where no one was alive long enough to tell the extreme horror stories they did of some men on the battlefield. The stories he heard about himself were bad, but if anyone was to question him, he would tell them that most were understatements, and few were exaggerations. He wasn't as ruthless and heartless as they said, but the ways with which he killed seemed worse to him than they were described in the stories. Even as now his mind blocked the images out so that he didn't remember, the assassinations he had committed before meeting Tomoe still burned brightly in his mind, recoating with the blood he had shed every night in his dreams.

His heart started to race as he slowly began to speed up as the colors of the dusk turned from the pinkish oranges into burgundy blues. He kept his senses on, afraid of a run in with someone like with the woman. He kept running, with a new thought brewing in his mind.

What had she said her name was? He tired to imagine her face without losing sight of his way or let any of his senses fall. The first thing he remembered was her extremely bright eyes that were filled with a mock anger toward him, trying to get him to back down. He hadn't, of course, and she had brightened toward him only slightly, something he didn't think many others would have picked up on. But the subtle change in her ki had alerted him to the small fact.

But what was her name? The next image that implanted itself in his mind was her hair, and the way it had flown so gracefully around her, even if it was up in a messy ponytail that he could tell was done in haste. But yet it didn't manage to render the image she gave off. A strong young woman, and a very brave one at that.

Then it hit him. She had said her name was Kaoru Kamiya.

He repeated the name in his mind the entire way back to the Inn, believing he had good reason to remember it. He wasn't sure why yet, though, but decided it had to do with the duel she had offered him. His mind churned with strange thoughts as to why he shouldn't be fighting her. A part of him didn't wish to hurt her; didn't want to break her spirit that he only knew a little about.

Battousai shook his head and with his amber eyes flaring, he returned back into the Inn, stomping angrily toward his room. He scolded himself promptly for all the unusual things he had done and felt that day, and then went to bathe to clean off the salty sweat he had worked up that day. When he walked into the bathhouse and removed his gi, he caught a whiff of something strange. He pulled the cloth closer to his nose and sniffed it again. Behind his own scent and that of sweat was another more feminine scent.

It was jasmine.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** So, there is chapter 2. Good? Bad? Meaningless? I don't know, you tell me. I had fun with this so far so expect another update but not anytime soon. I have to take my mom bowling on Thursday and then I'm going to my grandma's all weekend (where I have accessed to YIM and MSN messengers for any of you who feel like talking to me. for YIM (use the start of the address) and for MSN) because I promised to stain the underside of her deck. She can't climb on the rocks so she can't do it on her own. So the next update may take a week but reviews are welcome!

Love and hugs

Crystal Renee


	3. The Scent of Jasmines

**Disclaimers:** Ah... The dreams of us young people... I wish I owned Kenshin... but alas I am not that lucky... 

**Author's Notes:** FINALLY, after a WEEKEND of working (and chatting to reviewers and authoresses.. hehehehe, you guys know who you are) I am getting my butt back to work on my story, if slowly. I go from one bout of writers block to the next. I can work my way out of this; I'm just not sure what I want to happen next so this chapter may be shorter than the rest. That's my fault for not planning this out BEFORE I started to type it up... oh well, we'll get through this, ne? OH! And you should go read the story 'Cherry Blossoms'. It's really Angsty and has MAJOR spoilers (for those of you who don't enjoy spoilers, that was your warning) but the imagery is amazing and the author puts a lot of time into her chapters, even if they are short. GO READ! It takes place right after Kenshin dies... so yes, it is very angsty towards Kaoru. But otherwise, onto the story! OH! AND THANKS A BILLION TO DRAGONTAMER9741 FOR EDITITING THE CHAPTER! Any complaints, mail them to her, not me !

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 3- The Scent of Jasmines_**

That night was the first night he decided to use his futon when he went to sleep. He had not slept on a futon in over ten years when he thought about it. So this futon was still clean and fresh to him, as he had not used it the entire time he had been staying in this room. It was brand new, the comfort was still intact as new and not broken in, as it would have been had he slept on it before.

But the futon wasn't the only one his thoughts that night. He rolled under his blankets and stared at the interesting walls, trying to figure out the one thing that was keeping him awake.

How had the scent of jasmines become attached to his clothing? The field he had been practicing in was covered in pure grass.

Battousai puzzled over this. If the field had only been filled with grass, and surrounded by sakura trees, then how had he become covered with the scent of jasmine? Even after his bath the sweet scent still lingered on his skin. He hadn't been able to rub it off or mask it with his own sparsely used cologne. It was still there, confusing and haunting his senses, driving him mad. He tossed around under his sheets, trying to forgot the plaguing thoughts that filled his mind

Then her image placed itself in full view of his mind's eye. The gloss of her ebony hair, the placement of her hands upon the wooden sword as she held her ground against his live blade of metal. The image of her bright azure eyes, which shone brightly with pride upon telling him of her dojo, was clearly seen. The fact that she had been wearing male clothing had done nothing to mar her undeniable beauty. Her toned muscles and attitude added to her attractive flair.

She had said her name, what had it been again? Kamiya, that was her last name. Her technique, the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, the sword that protects. Part of him had wanted to burst out into fits of laughter when she had told him of her ideals. But another part of him had agreed with her, and wished to be able to accept her idealism and take it as his own, instead of the never- ending torrents of killings he was finding his soul drowning in.

He drowned in the blood every time he killed, the guilt grew. And even if he blocked out the memory, the blood still tinted his skin enough for him to see. No one else saw it; of course, for it was only his guilt playing tricks on his mind, but the only thing that mattered was that he did see it. That it did haunt him, pushing out his hopes for true sanity, for closure and atonement.

But he did deserve all of this, he reminded himself solemnly. It was his fault.

All the people he had slaughtered in unspeakable carnage were gone, and he didn't hold the power to resurrect them and let them roam the earth as clueless as they had been before. He placed one hand on his head as it began to throb with memories and guilt, emotions the hitokiri never allowed to flow outward. At least not where others could pounce on them and twist them, using his pain and inner struggles to their advantage to break him down, slowly, piece by piece. Cause him to suffer more than he was already. His biggest fear was to find someone who knew him better than he did himself, someone who could see straight through his icy demeanor.

Perhaps that was why, deep down, that woman had scared him. Part of him believed that she had known he was, yet chose to ignore it. But who could be that forgiving of someone who had spilled so much blood, and caused the heavens to rain blood, the moon to shine red with it's tears, blood that is shed for his guilty, doomed being?

He flipped over again, the scent of the calming, innocent jasmine again reaching his senses. The scent was meant to calm him, and it had, but at the same time it stirred things within him that he didn't comprehend or understand. He kept thinking back to the woman, who stood like a warrior, yet held the grace of any traditional Japanese woman. Her battle ki was strong; he could tell she was slightly angered to find him on her property, yet she had been extremely hospitable towards him after a short while.

Was she always that naïve? If that was true of her being, then she was bound to get herself into a lot of trouble with people who were not as easily swayed as he had been in her presence. He was scared for the young woman, afraid that she was going to get in trouble.

But why did he care? He didn't even know her, so why did he care?

It had to be her gentle demeanor, he decided. But why had that been so confusing to him? Why hadn't he been able to glare at her like he had so many others before her? He had never backed down from a challenge, which was why he had accepted hers so vaguely. But he was afraid of hurting her. He didn't want to cause a bruise on her seemingly tender white skin, or to break down the spirit she held within.

More images of the woman began to circulate throughout his mind. Her hair reminded him of the inky blue of the night sky, as it had been so dark that it had a bluish sheen to it. Part of him scolded him for thinking of her again, like she was familiar thing that he needed to remember. He had never met that woman before, so how could he find her so familiar?

He pushed those thoughts out of his mind. Then it went back to how he could possibly feel anything. He was supposed to be cold, emotionless, and dull. Void of any possibility of feeling or impulse.

His mind swept with thoughts. How could he care for someone like that? What made him think he cared about her? It was a simple infatuation, he finally decided for himself. An infatuation that he'd have to get over. He promised himself never again, because it only brought to much danger to anyone of which he began to confide in. No, not again he had promised. This woman would not get any closer to him than she already was. She would simply be there to practice with him from time to time.

That was his deciding thought.

But he remembered something about the woman that seemed strange. Her offer to spar seemed to hold back an unmentioned feeling, but what was it? It seemed as if she had practically begged him to fight with her. But why? Had she any students to teach at her dojo? She must've had at least one or two.

He shook his head. He had to sleep.

Finally, his thoughts calmed down, and he found a comfortable position on his futon, curling up casually beneath the comforting sheets and shutting his hazy eyes in order to induce some form of sleep. Nearly drifting off into a slumber, his mind suddenly brought forth a piece of information he hadn't even thought to remember.

Jasmines meant something. And that something was "Everything Will Turn Out Okay".

Was it a sign from Kami, he wondered to himself, his eyes still shut tight in vain, trying to bring on a sleep that was not coming for him that night. He lay there pondering this for a few hours before he finally gave way to the dark abyss of sleep.

But for some reason, tonight was different from the rest in more ways than just him sleep on his futon.

Tonight he was not plagued with the constant, bloody reruns of war that haunted his nightmares.

Kenshin woke up with the sun the next day as it poured into his room, lighting his crimson hair with fiery highlights and streaks of orange. He regretfully subsided to the awaken glow and sat up, stretching his sore, stiff muscles in an attempt to help himself wake up. Yawning he stood and walked across his room to glance inside of his seemingly mundane wardrobe.

Navy blue gis and white hakamas were the only pieces of clothing, besides his sleeping yukatas, that lined the closet. This made his outfit easy to choose, but the process of elimination was quite monotonous to him when he had nothing to choose from except for a few faded gis.

Without a second glance he plucked some clothing from the closet, and rubbing his eyes, walked throughout the Inn until he reached the bathing room. No steam emitted from the doorway so he let himself in, setting his clean Ishin Shishi outfit on a hook and then walking into the bathing stall with his towel. He decided a good chilled bath would be better at waking him up at that time of morning than a warm one, which was sure to only lull him back into his sleep and dream of the fiery kendo teacher he had met the day before.

He stopped in his tracks, on hand hovering slightly above the tub with his realization. Now he had gone to the extent of dream about her that night? Even without the nightmares, his dreams still scared him. They were the only proof he needed to know that slowly, his icy demeanor was ebbing away into nothingness, being changed by one person he hadn't even held a twenty- minute conversation with.

'I really need a cold bath if that's how things are gong to be. I can't be warming up. It's only going to bring everything back tenfold if I do.' he thought to himself as he plunged into the freezing water, his body reacting and screaming back at him in shock, his head aching with the sudden change of climate. He resurfaced in the tub, and began to clean himself.

When he left, his amber eyes were hidden behind a thicket of blood red rivers of hair, his clothing exposed some of his still damp skin, but his aura was the same. Dangerous, merciless, and on guard, like it always had been. Like it was supposed  
to be in the first place. He walked back to his room, grabbing his katana and wakizashi before stepping outside into the heat of the morning sun as it dried up the leftover dew that was scattered across the green sea of grass around him. His feet led him away from the building before he could be called back.

Battousai didn't take the time to look at the growing scenery around him, just allowed his feet to send him where he was headed while his mind was in a state of semi-comatosis. The swish of his sandals as they padded gently against the grass and dirt of the trail was the only sound heard besides the rustling of the leaves in the trees by the fingering wind. For a while he just continued on like this, his head bowed down towards the ground, arms swaying with his steps and feet dragging him on to some unknown destination.

He stopped abruptly, his head shooting up quickly and scanning his surroundings with keen eyes. He hadn't truly sensed a disturbance in the serene and tranquil area, but something about it was a little off. He glanced around and finally he figured out what so strange about the surrounding area of sakura trees where flowers fell like tears from the eyes of an innocent that had been tainted red.

He had walked himself back into the same area he had been in yesterday, the quiet field of grass surrounded by the blooming sakura trees, where he had met the woman yesterday while practicing.

At first he just stood there, the wind whipping at his clothing like it would to the ocean to make waves. His crimson hair fluttered about his face and back, whipping in one direction before changing rapidly into the next, circling around him with a grace unlike any other. His amber eyes stared out in utter shock, blue seeping over the yellow and allowing partial emotions to shine through.

Why had he gone here again, a second time? Had it been because of her willful gesture for a friendly spar? Or was it because he was so confused over the young woman that he sought for answers he may never have?

Kaoru Kamiya, his mind reminded himself, was her name.

Distantly he began to realize that he was no longer standing still but he had began a form of mechanical walking, much like what he did on his missions, farther away from the center of the field and more toward the place where the woman named Kaoru had disappeared off to the day before. He walked along the pathway he was certain she had followed, and found himself standing in front of a dojo, which was lacking the activity a dojo should have. He wondered why there were no students there for instruction on her Kamiya Kasshin Ryu.

That was, of course, until he heard a loud crash a few shouts from inside the dojo.

His thoughts flew directly towards the noises and his senses flew high as he slunk like a shadow towards the building. He was trying to leave himself far enough away to sense for ki and yet keep his own masked in case someone could sense him.

He could hear distant shouting and slowly edged his way closer, hiding his ki as well as he could from the occupants of the building. He closed in on the outside wall near the doorway, and saw the shoji was slightly agape. He hid himself well in the bleak shadows and peered in through the small crack, finally the best position to see most of the room. His eyes set upon the young woman and her opponent.

Quickly he began to assess the situation. He immediately disclosed the option of the six men in the room being her students, because they carried real swords instead of bokkens or shinai's. There was one giant of a man amongst the six other lean, short men, and he seemed to be the one who had challenged the fiery raven-haired beauty in the first place.

The smaller swordsmen didn't hold very strong fighting kis, and none of them even reached the caliber of the woman. But the larger man...

Battousai's eyes fell upon the blue-eyed woman. Kaoru, he reminded himself. She held her bokken up before her defiantly, one leg slightly father back than the other as she glared upon the taller man who towered above her. Her ki was high and threatening, Kenshin realized, which meant this wasn't a friendly spar and even he himself would have thought twice before fighting with her. But even if she was mad, the battle aura of the other man told him of many murders, something that the young woman had not participated in.

A crash alerted him to the fight and threw him out of his musings as his eyes fell upon the woman, her bokken holding the giant sword back much like it had his own the day before. She had caught it on its broadside again, which prevented it from slicing her wooden weapon in two.

"Leave here Gohei!" she demanded of him forcefully.

"You cannot scare me Kamiya. I am here for your dojo." the man named Gohei stated. "To take back what your father stole from me."

Kaoru glared back at him before forcing him back slightly with a pressure to her bokken. "My dojo doesn't belong to you. My father got rid of you because you killed someone with the technique that is meant to spare life and protect!"

"He made me lose the use of my hand." Gohei stated angrily. "And if Kamiya can't take the consequences on his own, then his daughter will for him."

"I will not. And if I do, I will fight you with the ideals he handed down to me, and I will win. You won't destroy someone who has the will to live, Gohei Hiruma!" she shot back at him.

She rushed forward in a fluid motion, her bokken aimed for attack.

Gohei moved to the side slightly, and Kaoru changed her path of attack at the last second, smashing the wooden weapon into his back. He yelped a little, stumbling forward with the force of her blow. She skid to a stop, using her free hand to balance herself before she ran into a wall or fell ungracefully to the floor. She glared up at him before preparing for counterattacks.

Kenshin continued watching from the doorway, surprised at her skill. She was a lot slower than him, he realized this, but not a lot of people had the god-like speed that his technique required. The man she was fighting with was much slower due to his enormous size, but one good blow from him could kill her with the extensive muscle he had amassed on his huge body.

The man regained his balance, glancing back at the girl of seventeen. He scowled venomously at her, in hope of intimidation. She ignored him and kept her concentration on the fight.

In a quick motion, her attacker was upon her again, but Kaoru sidestepped and slammed the hilt of her bokken upon his knees, causing him to collapse.

"You should have more skill than this, Gohei." she told him. "I am using the same style my father taught you. The same one you used to kill. Why is it not working for now? This is too one sided."

Gohei stood and blindly attacked her again. She held her bokken horizontally toward him, and it hit him right below the ribcage, depressing into his muscle and flesh slightly, but not cutting him, as it had no sharp edge. He fell back onto the floor, gasping for air and trying to ignore the soaring pain in his body as he fought to stand again.

"If there's one thing I hate more than losing to a Kamiya, it's losing to a Kamiya child! A girl, nonetheless!" he shot at Kaoru, determined to win. "I can guarantee you that I will win this fight!"

Kaoru planted her feet firmly onto the floorboards of the dojo, staring at Gohei and ignoring the men he had brought with him. "Then attack me, Gohei."

He jumped at her, and again she sidestepped. Her small error was not spinning around quick enough, and she suffered a slightly cut to her shoulder. She winced and jumped back, a hand flying to the wound as it colored her beige gi a shade of burgundy. She cursed silently to herself for being caught like that but put both hands on her bokken, bracing herself for a second attack.

He had nearly jumped in when Gohei sliced into to Kaoru's tender skin, but Battousai caught himself quick enough and calmed down. She wasn't down yet, and she'd still be able to fight, he saw. He just leaned back, but his hands were prepared to draw his katana in a split second for her life. This was a fight for her family's honor, he realized, and the only time he should interfere was when she could no long hold her own ground. The reasons why he shouldn't began to swim through his mind like flowers floating along the streams, but he ignored them all.

Even the Battousai was allowed to save life once in a while.

Gohei had smiled upon realizing he had injured her. "You cannot fight now, Kamiya, I have injured you. Go home and allow someone to fix it for you. Cry like the girl you are."

Her mouth flew open at the vicious taunt. "I am strong, Gohei, a small scrape isn't going to make me give up my skill, or give up this fight. Besides, this is my home in which you have invaded. Leave now, Gohei, and spare yourself the embarrassment of being defeated!"

Gohei flew at her and she parried strongly, but slid back with the force of his broadside against her bokken. Her skills taught her when to aim her sword for the broadside, and she was using them efficiently as he fought blindly with attacks that did not match anything she had been taught. He smirked upon finding her thinking and violently dove at her. At the last minute she had blocked him, but his power had sent her back into the dojo's wall.

Kaoru fell back from the wall, holding her previously injured shoulder as it had blocked her collision. She fell to the ground slightly, but stood after grabbing her bokken. Her eyes glanced down upon hearing them laugh and she saw that she only now held a half to the wooden swords hilt. The rest of the sword on the floor in pieces, shattered from the block and from the wall. She was weaponless, but Kaoru wasn't going to back down yet.

Battousai's eyes grew into slits upon glancing at how quickly she had flown out of his sight and then hearing them laugh. He could tell that she wasn't out of the count yet, but her lack of concentration after the first injury was beginning to cloud her power, her attacks were becoming less precise, and her judgment suffered, which was threatening to call the match in the favor of the opposition.

She glanced and saw the extra practice bokkens against the wall on the opposite end of her dojo.

Mentally she told herself that she needed to get a weapon from there, but she had to get through Gohei and his minions first to get to them. Calculating the situation she dodged of to the side, running as far away from the menand Gohei as she could.

One of them attempted to take a hold of her gi and pull her down, but Kaoru dodged and continued on her quick trek. One of the smaller swordsmen jumped out in front of her and instinctively she drew her hand back and decked him roughly in the nose, kneed him in the stomach then slammed her hands on his back to cause him to collapse to the floor in a heap. She ran to the corner and slid to a serious halt next to the wooden swords.

Picking one up she spun quickly with it extended before her. Upon completing her spin, she found the weapon to be in two as Gohei cowered dangerously above her. The shock muted her movements for a split second. But that was all Gohei needed to finish his task.

Taking advantage of her state of unrest, he brought the hilt of his sword to her head forcefully, knocking Kaoru unconscious within a moment's passing. She fell against the floor, and Gohei roughly lifted her up.

Kenshin was angry that he couldn't see what was going on when she had run out of his view. All he could do was wait for some indication that she was still fighting. He hadn't heard the sound of bokken to metal, or anything since the gasp when she had beat one of the men down to get across the room. He was becoming impatient, and nervous all at once with his hand securely placed upon the hilt of his katana. He made the decision to enter the building. He thanked Kami for once that he was a shadow assassin and could sneak in undetected at the right moment.

Gohei turned to his men, pleased with the unconscious state of Kaoru.

Gohei lifted Kaoru high into the air, to where her feet were at least three feet away from the floor. He grinned wildly to his men, all of who cheered at Kaoru's defeat. She didn't stir, and hung limply by the cloth of her tearing, bloody gi.

"This marks the end of the Kamiya line." Gohei announced casually, as if it was an everyday thing for him and his men. "Once we rid Japan of the final Kamiya and only surviving master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, we can strip their ideals and use the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu to it's true potential- to kill!"

His men hooted with their responses enthusiastically.

"But first, I think we should take our revenge slightly farther." Gohei announced. "When she can't fight back."

Battousai didn't wait for more.

Kaoru stirred slightly in the grip, waking up only to the intent that she could hear and see. Her body refused to move to protect her as Gohei lifted her higher.

"Let her go." came the curt voice.

Kaoru's mind spun, trying to recognize the familiar voice. Gohei turned toward the speaker, still ruthlessly holding Kaoru high in the expanse of air. His grin widened.

"I didn't know there was another Kamiya here."

"I'm not a Kamiya." he stated, stepping out of the shadows to expose his bloody locks of hair and crisp Ishin Shishi uniform. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you kill her."

Gohei cocked his head slightly towards the small, vague man. "And you are who to be saving this wench?"

"I demand a fair fight." he told him. "Metal to metal, man to man."

Gohei laughed at him, tossing Kaoru off to his men. "Have fun with her. I have to show this shrimp what a real swordsmen is like."

Kaoru fell into the others, wincing in pain as her headache grew from the shouts she got. She tried vainly to move but it was no use.

"Bastard." Kenshin muttered under his breath. "Do you except my challenge?" he added, louder.

"Of course. You will be easy to defeat." Gohei stated, his back still towards Battousai.

Again he moved his bangs to expose his scar to everyone, as if giving them a fair warning as to who he was, and to their inevitable doom.

"You are a fool." he seethed.

Gohei turned to find his challenger gone. He stood there puzzled for a moment, and then after hearing Kaoru scream in pain as she pulled away from the other men, he began to laugh.

"So you leave the fight?" Gohei questioned. "What a coward."

"Up here." Battousai stated, his voice cocky.

Gohei stared up towards the ceiling, shocked to find his competitor there, grinning down at him, amber eyes filled with hatred and a look he could not distinguish.

"Die!"

Gohei hadn't time to fight back with the man. With the call of 'Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu-Tsui-Sen', he had hammered down upon his body, cleaving him in two and sending him deep into the dojo floors. Everyone around was coated in his blood.

Battousai landed catlike to the floor. Kaoru was fending off the other men as well as she could with her state of pain, and most of them appeared to be scared stiff. One tried to touch her and she kicked him roughly in the side and then slammed his head against the back of another. Both of them fell to the floor in states of writhing pain.

"I'm giving you all a chance to leave." came the angry, low voice from the mysterious redhead.

The men didn't seem to realize the danger they were in, and 3 ran forward to attack him. Kaoru took a hold of a nearby bokken and rushed it against the remaining man's skull, knocking him unconscious. When she turned she found her dojo in ruins, splattered with unspeakable amounts of blood that fell down the walls and coated the floor like rain feeding the ocean. Despite the sickening carnage of limbs and blood, she glared at him.

"It's you." she stated ruefully. "And look what you did to my dojo! I hope you plan on helping me clean this up!"

Battousai's eyes widened at her state of anger, wondering if she was used to his kind of grotesque scenes. Then he mentally slapped himself. Of course she was, there was a war raging outside of her dojo, she was bound to come across scenes that much resembled this one when she was out. In this short instant of thinking, she had winced and took a tight hold of her injured shoulder, which now hung painfully since it had been dislocated.

"Your hurt." he stated as gently as a hitokiri could. "You should get that looked at."

He drew closer to her, hoping to help her somewhat. She didn't back away, but when he got close enough to touch her, he stopped. Under the scent of blood was... the scent of jasmines.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** AND WE'RE DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER! I had a hard time at the beginning but as I wrote it I made an outline at school... Resulting in 29 new slides on Powerpoint (which is where I'm writing this), and two new chapters (I use two chapters to write each chapter you read). The first one was only 8 slides, the second one was 21 slides. This chapter was 11 pages on Microsoft word. I'm actually proud of this chapter! I hope it's as good as I thought it was... I pray you guys thought it turned out good! AND YES I KNOW, ANOTHER CLIFFIE!

Luv and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	4. Intertwining Fates

**Disclaimer:** Uh... lemme check again... I forgot... 

Me: KENSHIN! Do I own you!

Kenshin: Sessha thinks not, that he does!

Me: But I own my clones, right?

Kenshin: Sessha is scared of them, so yes, you do!

**Authors Notes:** God I'm slow. I needed a break so I didn't write in either of my stories for the whole weekend. But I ended up writing anyway. The life I live is sad. But I played Mortal Kombat (and some of you may know this, some may not) but in the Deadly Alliance version there is a fighter named Kenshi (Oh my god!) and he's a swordsman and he carries a katana. I thought that was freaky. Nope, he doesn't have red hair (he wears red, though!) so IT'S NOT A CLONE. But I thought it was weird. But one dude I was fighting, I think his name was Kano or something like that, he defeated me and he decided to kill me and he tore my heart and other organs out of my chest with his hands! I was reminded of my other story 'Coming of the Dawn' with the part when Kenshin killed Shishio and I was like 'so THAT'S what it looked like...'. I just thought I'd share that with you. Now that you're all throughly disgusted, read on!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 4- Intertwining Fates_**

Kaoru sat quietly, trying vainly to clean her dislocated, bleeding shoulder with her good hand. It wasn't working well for her, pain searing through her body each time she touched the tender wound. She was sitting blankly in a dark corner; her eyes flew up to gaze at the man who had saved her life most selflessly.

The crimson hair flowed around him, matching uncannily with the blood he had shed that day in her dojo. Oddly he didn't seem affected by his onslaught upon the enemy, slicing them into the darkness no one could tell of. After a long argument she had convinced him to clean the death in the room.

The body of the man moved slowly but quickly, easily lifting up the bodies of the deceased as if the blood that slipped down his arms and over his body didn't affect him in the slightest. One by one he had carried the cold, lifeless corpses outside, and piled them idly in the field he had been practicing in the first day she had met him. He would come back for another body, shielding his eyes with the blood hair that sprouted like flowers from his head. He was silent, and even as her curious cerulean eyes followed him he took no heed to it.

Once it took him a while to come back, and she momentarily wondered why. A sickening stench reached her obstinate senses, pleading with her to heave. She had never experienced something so vile mixed with smoke. She silently wondered what was burning, and then it hit her roughly, her eyes widening in revelation. He was burning the bodies.

She slowly began to tear, her body heaving in convulsions as she leaned off to the side, the scent still assaulting her nostrils. She cried, her tears mixing with the new mess on the floor as she tried to clean up her face instead of her arm.

Battousai walked back into the building, admitting to himself that the scent of burning flesh was too grotesque for even his contentment. He began to scrub the blood religiously from the tainted walls, finding it easy to remove since it was fresh and had yet to sink into the wood around the room. He could hear the young, enchanting warrioress crying from her final amazement with the ways in which the men had died, and their final fates.

In nearly an hour he had been lucky enough to finish scrubbing the blood away from the wood, and he stood in relief. He could finally leave.

The woman, Kaoru, looked at him questioningly. "Can you help me?"

He glanced at her unexpectedly, his amber eyes wide in shock as to why she would ask him to help her after watching how he had retained himself. And this time, he had been aware of his deeds yet he oddly felt no remorse for it. The thought of being so cold didn't sit well with his conscience but he shoved the thought back.

"No." was the curt response.

"I can't clean my arm... I can barely move." she tried to convince him. "I need help."

"Why would you want my help?" he asked, voice low and icy.

She glared. "Because I need help and you've already given me your assistance once today!"

Kenshin growled. Despite her young and naïve appearance, she truly was intelligent and clever, and her point had been most truthful. Sighing he slumped next to her and pulled the bloodied gi away from her injured shoulder with a little force to show his protest. She winced and smacked him with her good hand, not thinking about the fact that he could kill her with one swipe with his brilliant blade.

He washed the wounded arm slowly, gently tracing circles around the blood to scrape it off without offering her too much damage to the dislocated limb. Oddly he felt refreshed with this small gesture of humanity towards her. Cleaning a wound instead of inflicting one was a new thing for him.

He moved away from her arm and began the same ministrations to the bruising cut on her skull. Slow and delicate, he reminded himself. Her eyes closed and she let the man hover over her, despite the fact that the only thing truly covering her from the waist up was her white breast bindings. He moved away from her, reaching amiably for a bandage she had collected from a cupboard in the dojo. Slowly Kenshin unfolded the cloth and began to wrap it tightly but still loosely around her throbbing head, tying it securely with he was done.

She opened her eyes, slightly surprised to see his eyes were not the sappy amber you would find on pine trees, but a gentler shade of navy blue. He took a hold of the limb that hung limply out of its now lonely socket.

"This is going to hurt," he warned her before pushed up with her arm, until it clicked back into the socket like a sword in its sheath.

"Ouch!" she cried, pulling her arm away instantly.

Busy making a makeshift sling for her arm, he side glanced at her momentarily.

"Your shoulder is back in place." he told her coldly. "Don't move it too much yet, or it will come back out again and someone will have to push it back in again."

She nodded response fully to him, cradling her pain-inflicted arm against her chest.

"Where did you learn to fight?"

He stiffened slightly, the question being one he had not expected from her. He had not expected this Kaoru to speak to him after all the carnage he had instigated in her dojo, which taught a nonkilling form of kenjutsu. Her words rang in his mind wildly as he thought.

What had possessed her wonder to surf to that of where he had been taught to fight? She already knew of the technique, for he had named it to her and it's virtues before. Hadn't that been enough to quench her fountain of curiosity? Or had he only added a spark to the flame of knowledge she craved? He cursed himself for explaining anything to her in the first place. Now she would ask questions, and even if he vehemently opposed to answering them, something told him that the vivacious woman would force him to eventually. But being the stubborn hitokiri he was, he still stuck it out.

"Why do you want to know, Kamiya-san?" he questioned, gently placing her ailing arm into the sling and placing one strap across her neck.

She cringed. "Don't call me Kamiya-san. My name is Kaoru. I was wondering because you don't see speed that awesome very often, if at all."

He simply averted his gaze away and shook his head. "It does not matter where I learned or who I learned from. There is only one heir to this technique, and only one use."

"You can at least tell me. And any technique can be used to protect, like you just did. But you don't have to kill. It would have been just as efficient with a bokken or shinai and I'm not looking into learning it, I have my own style." she explained, standing so she could walk out of the room. "Come with me so we can talk."

"No." he stated. "I cannot participate in idle chat."

Feigning her anger she took a tight grip on his arm and glared at him with mock rage. "You will. I deserve answers."

Despite the hitokiri instincts, Kenshin was forced to go with Kaoru to where ever she was leading him.

She only let go of him momentarily to open a shoji door and then she again took a tight hold of his midnight gi and pulled him into the room. By the looks of it he decided it was a bedroom, although no personal possessions were out in plain sight. He found that to be extremely smart of her. She pushed him onto a mat and then sat on one across from him, pulling her gi sleeve over her arm.

"You should change. There is no reason to walk around with a bloodied gi on." he told her, coming up with his best excuses to escape her chat.

Kaoru grinned. "Then you should be changing too. I'm not the only one stained with access blood."

She stood and threw a green gi and gray hakama at him. He struggled under the clothing, very much unlike his usually well-coordinated self. She turned and smiled at him.

"I'll leave you in here to change. That is too big on me so it should fit you at least a little bit. I'll go change somewhere else but I expect you to be back here when I come back. I'll search for you if you aren't."

She left and he was slightly disturbed. It was not because of the forcefulness of her voice, or the cheerfulness that seemed to seep off of her. It was the fact that he didn't doubt her threat. So he did diligently as he was told, peeling off the blood soaked clothing that were now soiled beyond help, and slipped into the new, cleaner outfit she had pulled out for him.

Surprisingly, it fit him fine, he realized. He took his place on the mat again, fighting with himself. He wanted to take a better look around the room. He knew it was hers, even if all her worldly possessions were hidden from view. The scent of jasmine in there was intoxicating, and he now knew it was her scent. That meant this was her room.

Finally deciding she wouldn't be back for a while and preparing to feign innocence with his lavender eyes should she return, he walked near a chest to the left of the room, farthest away from the shoji. Feet dragging him onward and his hands moving upon their own accord, the chest was unlocked in a few seconds. All he had to do now was open it. He did so quietly, repressing any possible creaking the aged piece of furniture could emit.

He lifted the lid and tore his gaze away from the rising lid to the contents inside. He never got a chance to spy into the container when a sharp, blade-like pain rang in his fingers. He pulled them back to himself quickly, the blood pulsing rapidly toward the injury as small cuts bled from his knuckles.

"Hentai!" Kaoru screamed vehemently. "I give you clothes and you get into my undergarments?"

Holding his hands close to his chest, he tried to bring out the violet in his eyes, but found the attempt futile. He glared back at her with golden orbs of a lava-like magic. "Why are you allowing a stranger in your room, unattended at that? Do you do this often? If so it doesn't show much for your dignity and honor."

Her mouth dropped as she stared. How could he even fathom that out of her? Within instinct, she slapped him, roughly, against his left cheek, ignoring how hard she hit him. It left a ringing in his ears and a sharp sting in the cross marring his skin.

"I would never stoop to that level! How could even think of that in the first place? Never in my whole life has anyone even suggested that! I am a woman of honor and strength who teaches knouts, not a geisha from some brotheral!" she cried.

Kenshin immediately regretted what he had instigated; biting his lip nervously and from the pain that still pierced his scar. His hand flew over the scar, checking momentarily to see if she had opened the never healing wound by accident. He felt like a small child within her angry presence, being scolded for misbehaving.

"Hai, gomen nasai." he told her. "I never should have been prying and I never should have said that."

She warmed to him. "I'm sorry I slapped you."

He glanced up at her, his eyes melding back to steel blue as he did. He followed the flow of her kimono with his critical eyes. It was a pale yellow color with white cranes and pearl like fans encrested around it. He watched, mesmerized, as she sat. His first thought was a simple 'how did she tie the obi?'.

"Now, were did you learn?"

Blinking a few times, Kenshin decided he should answer her question. "In Kyoto, up in the mountains."

She nodded slowly. "I see. Secluded."

He nodded back.

Then a silence followed, which made him nervous. Was she trying to form a new question? Trying to trick him into something? He was Battousai, he reminded himself, and he couldn't be tricked very easily, especially by a woman.

"Why did you help me?" Kaoru asked him, her blue gaze clueless and curious.

His eyes widened momentarily, trying to comprehend the question. After grasping what she asked, his eyes momentarily flashed violet.

"I..." he began, trying to hard to come up with a plausible answer, one that could be used by a hitokiri and not truly taint his mission in life- to kill. After a long wait, he realized, there wasn't a good answer.

"I really don't know." he responded curtly.

She nodded, understanding his dilemma. "Reason or no, I thank you for your help. I don't know what I was thinking, taking him on like that when I can't..."

"Your technique is strong, your will is great, but your ideals are what set you back. You and I, we both fight to protect, but you are held back with the ideal of not killing."

"And you are haunted by the death you spread." she inquired quietly.

Inside his shock was strong at how quickly she had picked up on his remorse for killing, but outside he kept his cool mask upon his face, refusing to back down to the woman. He couldn't let her into his mind and alert her to his confusing emotions, drown her in his grief and suffocate her with his torment. That would only complicate things for him more than they had been since he had helped her. But he wasn't going to lie to her.

"Yes." he answered simply, staring down at his hands in fear his emotions would splay across his face.

She scooted closer to him slowly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's not good to keeps those kinds of things inside. They eat you soulless."

He kept his gaze averted. "Will you be able to stay alone with your injury?"

"I can get around fine." she responded full heartedly. She smiled at his obvious worry, but part of her didn't believe the way he was treating her.

Kaoru couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but he didn't appear to be what he was showing her, like there was something deeper. Maybe he didn't just killmaybe there was some root to the reason he could wield a blade the way he did. But she wasn't going to wait for him to answer her on his own.

"You are one with your blade, yet you hide so much behind it's sheath." she began. "Who are you, behind that mask you put up?"

He blinked in shock.

What should he tell her? Kenshin didn't think it was smart to tell her he was the Battousai. 'That would only scare her more, and then she could go give a description to the police. No. I can' t tell her I'm Kenshin Himura, for then she will know the true name of the Battousai. And I cannot tell her I am Shintafor Shinta truly died when Hiko brought me in under his training. What do I tell her?'

"I am an assassin under the Ishin Shishi." he responded finally, deciding to stay vague but still try and answer her question. "Names are not important during that job. You kill and go back for more instructions, and kill again."

"No exchange of words?"

He glanced at her. "You don't seem fazed by my identity."

"Because you haven't told me your true identity, just the one you show." Kaoru answered.

"But that is what I am, it's who I am. I am an assassin, I live by my blade." he defended himself.

Kaoru was silent as she stared towards the floor. So he was an assassin. For some reason she knew she should be scared of him, that she should be trembling and begging for her life. But he hadn't made any advances toward her, and she had been able to surprise him in the field yesterday. He had protected her for no true reason that day.

"Sword for the Innocent." she recited. "That's why you helped me. Sword for the innocent, your Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. You follow its ideals. You think I'm an innocent in all this, don't you?"

Battousai glanced up wearily toward her. Her eyes were alive with a sharp blue fire, one he had noticed during the beginning of her battle.

"Is it?" she persisted.

He looked at her, attempting to answer her question but was interrupted by her.

"I'm not. My father died because of this war, my mother was killed by a group of bandits. They were innocents in this. Because of their deaths I have to carry this all on my own, which means I've had to make sacrifices. I have housed troops, cooked for Shisengumi and Ishin Shishi alike." she exploded, her eyes splaying her emotions rapidly.

Kenshin suddenly felt a lot of dread. "How did your father die? In a battle or by assassination?"

"Assassination. He refused to teach the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu for the use of war." she answered. "I never found out who killed him. It could have been Shisengumi. Or, perhaps it was Ishin Shishi. Maybe it was you. I can't say. But that left me adjacent master of this dojo."

Kenshin took pity on her, even though he knew the pity of an assassin who could have very well sent that deathblow was not worth having. Her spirit seemed to fade when she mentioned her parents. But he reminded himself that she was old enough to know them when she lost them, unlike him. He had been so young, that he barely even remembered what his parents were like, if he remembered at all.

"How old are you, Kamiya-san?" he asked her.

"I told you to call me Kaoru, didn't I? I'm seventeen." she answered him truthfully. "I'm on my own here at the dojo."

"Do you need someone to fix it up for you?" he asked, eyes suddenly flashing a violet/blue. "I could fix it for you. I did put the hole in the floor."

"No, Gohei did. You just helped him do it." she responded.

"Your not completely the vicious woman you strive to be when you train and battle, are you?" he asked, a slight smile spreading across his features.

She grinned. "And you're not completely in control of hiding your emotions, are you? All assassins have to hide their emotions, this I know. But you want to let yours known."

He shook his head. "I am not permitted to show emotion, therefore I don't. It hides the fact of death. Now, tell me, why did Gohei Hiruma, right," she nodded and he continued, "attack you in the first place?"

"My father used to be his sensei. Gohei killed a fellow student with the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu ideals, and since it is meant to protect without killing, my father kicked him out of the school. He was mad, and he wanted revenge."

Kenshin nodded. "He wanted to use the technique to kill."

"I know you agree with that. Kenjutsu does not have to kill, though." she told him. "Any sword has the potential to kill, I know this, but most attacks are not deadly with a bokken or shinai, no matter how roughly you place them."

"Or a sakabatou." he added as an afterthought.

"What was that?"

"A sakabatou, reverse bladed sword. Blunt side out, sharp edge in. I've seen them around." he answered.

She smiled. "Yes, that would work to."

"Can I tell you something, KamI mean Kaoru-dono?" he asked her.

She nodded to him.

"Sometimes I wish that your ideals were the truth." he told her. "But I am an assassin, I am made to kill, trained to kill, taught to kill, bred to kill. Therefore all I can ever do is cause slaughter and chaos."

She shook her head. "Anyone has the power to stop."

He looked at her, his amber eyes sharp. "But, I am not everyone. I have a title I cannot shed."

She decided to let that slip and she averted her gaze away from him momentarily.

"Do you have any students?"

She glanced back at him. "I lost all my students after mother died, when Gohei was saying he was the Battousai."

Kenshin's eyes shot up. "He is not Battousai."

"How do you know?" she questioned him. "For all you know he could have been."

"The Kamiya Kasshin Ryu is not strong enough to be the technique that Battousai uses." he answered her shortly. "I know Battousai first hand. He works for the Ishin Shishi, he is an assassin. Have you forgotten that is also what I am?"

Sireta dropped her gaze. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Tell me, when you hear Battousai, what do you think?" Kenshin asked unceremoniously.

"Me? I don't think of anything, truthfully. I am supposed to fear Battousai, but unlike most, I don't think he kills for the pleasure. There is not pleasure in causing death." she informed him. "I don't think anyone can be that evil."

Part of Kenshin was glad to hear that. So at least one person believed that he was not the monster that even he had begun to see himself as. Battousai that manslayer was a monster, he told himself, but the man he was, was not.

"I will go fix your dojo floor now."

"No! Sano can fix it!" she cried suddenly, jumping up the instant he tried to escape.

"Who is Sano?"

"My friend, Sanosuke Sagara, fighter for hire." she explained. "He comes by sometimes, and I feed him even though he hates my cooking."

"Sagara... that sounds familiar." he answered. "But Sanosuke doesn't. Souz Sagara, that's who I'm thinking of."

"His late captain, killed by the Imperialists. He has a deep hatred for them." she explained.

He nodded. "I'm still fixing the dojo."

"No you are not! I demand you not to! No! Stop! Get back in here!" she cried as he continued to walk out the door. "Don't you even listen? Hello I'm speaking to you!"

He grinned at how agitated she sounded.

"I'm fixing the dojo."

She stopped momentarily, then grabbed a bokken and smashed it into his head from behind. "No! I told you know and that's that!"

Reflexively he held his head and spun around, sending her a death glare from beneath his blood red hair.

"Go home, Sano will back later and I'll have him fix it then. I will see you around." she told him, shooing him out the door. "If you ever need company or again, if you wish to practice, just come up here and knock, I guarantee I'll be here."

His mind was swimming. Why? Why was he heading back towards that dojo again, where the scent of jasmine was so strong? He already had the scent lingering in his room and on all of his clothing, it even coated the hilt of his sword, he had noticed. Yet he was still heading back to the dojo with a bucket of cooked tofu.

Trying to convince himself it was nothing was working. The food was an excuse, and he knew it. She needed something to eat; he had tried to trick himself into believing. And even if that was true, that wasn't why he was going back.

'You're growing attached to that woman. Ever since she attacked you, you've grown attached to her. You want to help her. You want her to help you. You're doing something you swore on Tomoe's grave never to do again.' his mind taunted him. He shook his head.

He didn't want to think of Tomoe now. That was too much pain, and at the moment he was in too light of spirits, or at least as light of spirits as Battousai could be, to have it ruined with brooding over his dead wife. He cursed himself for thinking about her so negatively, but for once he wanted to do something without being reminded of his true status, like he could when he was with Kaoru.

Again he mentally scolded himself. He had grown attached. Placing another innocent in danger of himself. But he promised himself that after delivering this tofu, he would never again set foot near the dojo. Ever. To protect her.

Upon looking up he saw that he was indeed, in front of that very dojo for the very last time. Sighing he entered, and saw that the floor was still in ruins. He walked past it to where he heard loud screaming and saw someone run out.

"Kami I didn't mean to do that!" came the familiar female voice as the person stomped back into the kitchen area. "I guess I'm not having rice and tofu tonight. Sano will just have to make due with whatever I can scrap together."

He snuck into the room and watched as she struggled to move things around. Shaking his head in slight amusement he spoke up.

"I brought you some food." he told her.

Kaoru spun around, a hand over her heart. She smiled when she saw him.

"Thank you."

He set it down on the low table and then turned to leave.

"You're not going to eat with me?" she asked him. "I don't like to eat alone."

"I thought Sanosuke was coming." he told her, glancing at her from the side.

She nodded. "He is but if you don't eat now then there will be no food left. Please."

Giving in with the reminder that his was, after all, his last chance to spend any time here, he sat across from her. She sat and futilely attempted to use her chopsticks. She laughed at herself.

"I'll get this eventually."

He glanced and watched as she again tried to eat and failed.

"Why don't you try to use the hand in the sling?" he asked her. "I don't think it would hurt you."

Deciding to try it, she did, and was happy to see it didn't send any more pain shooting throughout her arm when she did. "I was afraid it would hurt."

The gate opened and Kaoru grinned. "Sano's here."

The door opened, and Kenshin felt out for his ki. He could tell it was strong, another great battle ki much like Kaoru's, only stronger like his own.

"Hey Jou-chan, did you actually fix something edible today?"

"Shut up Sanosuke or you'll be withering on the floor begging for forgiveness!" she shot back with a giant grin.

"You wouldn't hurt little old me! You'd take pity before you could land a punch." he told her as he entered the room.

"Yeah right." she grinned.

In an instant almost too quick for her to realize it, Sano had pulled her up by her good arm and behind him. She fell somewhat ungraciously to the floor.

"Sano! What are you doing?"

Kenshin knew what he was doing. Maybe she didn't recognize him, but Sano did. Kenshin had recognized him, too.

"Zanza." he stated.

"Jou-chan, what the HELL is Battousai doing in your HOUSE! I swear to god if you hurt her..."he began.

"Battousai?" she whispered.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Ahhhhh... I have completed chapter 4 and I do believe that it longer than all the rest! A whole 13 pages! YOU SHOULD BE PROUD! Ah yes... But I have been writing so much I got to lazy to respond to your reviews, but I will in the next chapter for this chapter, okay? Well.. Until then!

Luv and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	5. Morbid Visions

**Disclaimer:** Kenshin! I'd love to own him! Wouldn't you? And then I'd own Sano, too... and it'd all be good... 

**Author's Notes:** Ah... another chapter. I first off want to say thank to a reviewer (I'm not able to check for names right now) who corrected me on my usage of 'geisha'. I wasn't really sure as to what it meant, so thank you for clearing that up and I will correct that when I can! I am VERY proud of how this story is turning out so far. I know it's slow but I cannot help it! Unlike my other stories this cannot be a rushed story. You'll see why the farther into it I get. I still don't know exactly all that's going to happen or how long it's going to be (it's already 110 slides on Powerpoint...) so we'll just have to see! That and I have started ANOTHER story (I swear I'm gonna regret starting so many stories)! ON WITH THE STORY!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 5- Morbid Visions_**

"Sano!" Kaoru screamed. "Listen to me!"

"Be quiet! He'll kill you!" Sanosuke warned, holding her down protectively behind him. "Battousai! Why are you terrorizing this young woman?"

"Why are you, Zanza? She appears more afraid of you than she is of me."

"Don't change the subject."

"Sano!" Kaoru begged. "I need to explain this all to you!"

"No! He came to hurt you."

"Sano! He saved my life!" she screamed. "He was bringing me dinner! Is that a crime?"

Sano looked from the woman behind him to the deadly assassin sitting at the table with chopsticks in his hands. The aura he gave off was strong yet oddly not as hostile as it had been upon his entrance into the room. He shook his head. The Battousai was strange but he still didn't trust him around someone he considered his little sister.

Sano gave him a weary look. "I don't trust you or any other imperialist. I'd suggest you leave."

Kaoru didn't know what to do, so she reached over for the closest thingwhich happened to be a plateand whacked Sano over the head with it roughly.

"Listen to me!" she cried. "I was rescued by him, I've talked to him and he is not leaving until I get some more answers! And neither are you, tori atama! Now I'd suggest you both sit down and eat in peace already before I give you both a piece of my mind! And that won't be pretty!"

Both men sat down, both oddly disturbed by the commanding tone in her voice. She handed Sano a plate and then sat in her seat across from Battousai and began to eat with her wounded arm. They all ate in silence for a moment or two.

"What happened to your hands?" Sano finally mustered up enough courage to ask him.

Battousai looked up from his food and over at the man he knew as Zanza. "That fiery young woman over there did it." he responded, pointing at Kaoru with a chopstick. "And it hurt."

Sano looked over at her, amazed that she had been able to hurt him at all, and then bewildered that she was still alive afterward. In his mind he could have never envisioned Jou-chan attacking Battousai. It was all too weird to him. Shaking his head he focused his attentions back to his food.

"If you hadn't of gone digging my things..." Kaoru shot back at Battousai.

"If you didn't leave me in your room..."

"If you knew was privacy was..."

"If you had realized before inviting me in..."

"If you had been halfway decent..."

Now Sano was thoroughly confused. Now she was mouthing back at the Battousai, and she was still breathing air? And he was even taking the time to humor her and make his own snide comments back? He shook his head.

"I know you have this thing for finding the best in people, but I think you've bitten off more than you can chew with him, Jou-chan."

"Who said I was making him act like this? It wasn't me who begged him to help me against Gohei Hiruma. He did that out of his own free will." She responded to Sano before pushing her plate away. "I'm done. Now. Battousai... you and Sano have a lot of explaining to do for me."

Kenshin's head shot up to face her quickly, eyes searching her features for a way out of this hole he was digging himself. He saw that with her he wasn't getting around that easy. He could always kill her, he reminded himself. But he had already discovered that the scent of blood and jasmine did not entice his senses the way plain jasmine did.

"Hai, so we do." he stated, his voice emotionless.

Sano gulped. "What do we need to explain?"

"Well, for starters, how do you know each other so familiarly?"

"Your friend Zanza here has challenged me once or twice in a drunk state." Battousai answered coolly.

"You meet hitokiris around when you're a gangster." Sano explained to her. "I've met a few on either side of the war, but keep my distance from them all when I can. Anything I do when I'm drunk is not my fault."

Kaoru sweat dropped at his comment. "Now tell me, Battousai, why didn't you tell me you were Battousai before when I asked?"

His eyes widened in shock without his consent, exposing emotions that he did not feel were safe to expose around Zanza. "I told you I was a hitokiri, I figured you could have made the connection."

"You still let him in after you knew he was a hitokiri? Are you going mad, Jou-chan?" Sanosuke exploded.

"I did not wish to scare you more than you were. Besides, if you had known who I was, that gave you free will to give a description to the police or Shisengumi. I did not want to have to kill someone I had just saved for a change," he told her. "Besides, you intrigued me that day in the field. No one has ever snuck up on me like that before."

"What? You've met him before this?" Sano cried.

"Yes." Kaoru responded dryly. "Momentarily. But today he saved me from Gohei. I have yet to figure out why for sure. But he did it most selflessly. Which reminds me Sano, could you help me fix the dojo's floors? I dislocated my shoulder in the fight."

"How bad are they?" Sano questioned, almost in a squeak.

Battousai grinned. "I used a special attack and hammered him into the floor."

Sano gulped. "I fear I'll have to pass on that, Jou-chan."

"Why?" she cried.

"I'm busy for a while. Plans." he lied through his teeth.

"You're the biggest freeloader I know." she stated in exasperation.

Battousai inwardly grinned. 'Another excuse to come and see her again...having to fix the dojo floors' he thought.

"I told you I would fix the floors and I that is what I will do. I made the hole, therefore I should be the one to fix it." Battousai stated simply.

"Yes! You should!" Sano shouted without realizing what he had said. "Oh... Oops."

Kaoru glanced over at Battousai. "He won't kill you Sano. I know he won't."

"What makes you so sure?" Sano questioned.

"Because he doesn't want to. Battousai, you only kill when you are told to, don't you? Or when your assistance is needed? The sword for the innocent. You kill to protect the innocent, not to feel the rush of a bloodlust."

Battousai bowed his head momentarily but nodded.

Sano stood suddenly and held his hand out to Battousai. "Thank you, ya know, for saving Jou-chan."

Kenshin stared at his hand for a moment before he took it and shook it roughly. Standing he pulled his katana with him, and headed toward the door. His eyes fell upon a flower as it floated by in the wind.

"I will now take my leave. I will show up soon to fix the floors Kaoru-san. Ja ne." he told them before stepping out into the night air.

He twisted his way through the vines that hung low against the trees as he traveled to get back to the Inn. The patterns of shadows the trees cast along the ground were intricate and complicated, but at the same time he welcomed their sight. Most things were never this beautiful to him, and for reasons he couldn't explain why everything was lovely on that trip back.

Shaking his head and reminding himself that the shadows were the spirits of those he had slain, his thoughts turned dark yet again. The constant torture he pushed himself through was not ending anytime soon, he told himself. Especially now when he needed his self-control the most, if he wanted to protect that woman named Kaoru from himself, from the monster he was.

It didn't help him much that he had to come back again to fix the dojo floors. Ultimately he knew that they would speak to each other again, they'd understand each other more. He'd wish to protect her more, and the will to stay away would be harder for him.

How had his mask slipped so easily? How had been tricked into feeling for this young woman? He could be cold to anyone around him, he had been able to hide his emotions from the people he had been with for thirteen years, yet when this woman came he lost his mask within the first time he had come in contact with her.

And the scent of jasmines assaulted him every time he thought of her.

Why did he continually refer to jasmine when he thought of her? Was he that smitten with her already to feel a withdrawal from her scent until it haunted him?

He couldn't help the images that flew through his head. He had never been one to stop and smell the flowers, but somehow the word jasmine just stuck in his mind, and he couldn't erase it. He could stare all he wanted toward the looming trees that seemed to resemble hoards of men trying to attack him, and his thoughts would still wander to the word jasmine, to the scent and it would assault him all over again, even when it wasn't near him.

Battousai shook his head. No, he told himself, there was no reason to be thinking about her. He needed to forget her if he was ever going to be able to protect her from himself.

Part of him wanted to head back to that dojo and stay there all night, just to be sure that she was going to be safe. But his other side tore him farther away with each unaccounted step toward the Inn.

Forcing his thoughts away from the young and vivacious woman, he set his gaze upon the crescent shaped, orange moon that gave him the slight light that lead his path. He could walk without the light of the moon, but it was welcoming to him. He continued on his walk, eyes downcast toward the moss covered dirt path he was traveling.

Slowly and hypnotically he fell into a trance, not really realizing he was moving. Slowly, he halted for a moment, his eyes never leaving the dirt of the road.

If his eyes were deceiving him, Kenshin could have sworn that the brown of the dirt began to seep with a coppery red tinge that snaked around obstacles yet allowed some of the natural gravel color beam through it as it began to slowly pool near his feet. His eyes crinkled in concentration and anticipation of what sights he would see upon lifting his head.

Slowly, almost remorsefully, he lifted his suddenly weighed head, with his eyes clamped shut. He opened them even slower than the speed with which he had mustered to lift his skull. They were normal for a moment, and then shot wide.

Coppery scents tinged his senses and the red that the reflected the orange moon like waters made itself apparent to him. His gaze grew more concerned as he followed the rosy liquid toward its source with his ever- attentive eyes. Amber met the sight of dull blue, surrounded by snow white and distinct, deep brick shaded red. Raven black and more red. Amber and violet.

Violet?

Kenshin stepped back suddenly, tripping gracelessly over a root. His vision went blurry momentarily before he focused again. The sight was still there, not different in the slightest.

There in a sleek black and blue kimono lay Kaoru, her eyes open but lacking the luster of life. Her skin was pale and glass like, reminding him of the purity of snow as she lay there. She was surrounded with red, her hair floating in what looked like a pool of cherry sauce, if it wasn't for the fact that it was too thin to be that. And standing above her, in bloody rain soaked Ishin Shishi colors was him, staring down with bright violet eyes in dismay.

He had killed her.

Kenshin shut his eyes and rubbed them quickly, trying to see if he was imagining things. Upon opening them he saw nothing, everything was the same. Kaoru wasn't lying dead on the gravel, he was standing above her in utter shock and there was no blood.

Everything was back to the dark of the nightly forest, clean and crisp in every way.

Standing up, he stared to wonder if he was hallucinating things. That had to be it. There was no way he was losing his mind, was there? He dusted his clothing off, but his hand hit a wet spot. Looking down he saw blood soaking, slowly, the part of his gi that covered his wrists. He pulled them up quickly but found no wound, no were for the blood to be seeping form his body and into his clothing.

"All this bloodshed is starting to get to me." He thought to himself as he began on his trek to the Inn again.

He tentatively passed the area that he scene he was now certain he had made up in his mind had taken place, and sighed when nothing popped up. He continued walking slowly, but something glistening caught his eyes.

Red tinged the thing, and he lifted it slowly. It was his swordhis katana, drenched in blood.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Ah... a new chapter. Sorry it took a while to get this out. My muses have beem dying on me and I'm really stressed out lately from stories, homework, and my latest battle with 'cramps' for a 'female' problem. That was 2 weeks ago and I've been drained ever since. I think my writing in my stories may reflect this. Sorry if it does but I'm too dedicated to getting stuff out for you guys to stop and rest myself. I feel bad if I don't. This is always a stressful time of year for me anyway. Too much is going on. Teachers pack homework on me because it's the end of the markign period, lots of birthdays I have to worry about getting money for, friend's problems start to mount so I'm working har don trying to take on their problems and help them solve them, and so on and so forth. So I'm sorry if my writign is gettign worse. Gomen. Sessha is not worthy of writing for you.

Luv,

Crystal Renee


	6. Growing Closer

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Kenshin. Nope, not yet. But I've concocted a plan with Lady Himura as to how we could. It just may take a few lifetimes to achieve. 

**Author's Notes:** Ahh... aren't you all so happy? It's a new chapter! Today is November 8th, 13 minutes after Kenshin ended. I got to watch it today because I said so! Hehehehehe. I just kinda stole the remote and refused to give it up. If it works then I say by all means DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. Hehehehehe. Well, I started this chatper late because of writers block and... it got posted late due to writer's block.Wellto the chapter! Did you notice that so far the story has only spanned a total of 3 days? Dang I'm good! hehehehehehe! I'm very proud of this small fact! 126 slides on Powerpoint right now is the length of the story! I'm getting better at this I think!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 6- Growing Closer_**

There was only one thing on his mind when he burst into the Inn after the walk back. He needed peace of mind, so he stormed into Katsura's office. He needed to know if he had been ordered to kill Kaoru's father or not. For some reason her words of 'It could have been you' seemed to bother him, and he needed to know for sure if it had been him or not. At least then she could know if she was trusting a manslayer that had murdered her family.

Katsura looked up from his work, not to shocked to see the leading manslayer standing before him. He simply moved aside his earlier work to pay attention.

"Yes Himura?"

Kenshin stared at Katsura momentarily. "I need to know if killed a certain person."

Katsura pulled a book with logged assassinations. His eyes scanned to a thick portion titled 'Himura Battousai' and then awaited Kenshin's question.

"The last name is Kamiya." he told him.

Katsura looked under the K's under Kenshin' file. "May I ask why you need to know this, Himura? You've never questioned your orders before."

"Peace of mind." he stated flatly. "I have connections with the family."

His tone gave off to Katsura that he had better not push the subject. He did that and flipped through the pages.

"Well Himura, rest assured I see nothing under 'Kamiya' in your file, so you are not responsible for that one death." Katsura stated as if the killings were usual and murder was not a crime.

Kenshin nodded quickly and stalked off, to his room he supposed. He wasn't exactly sure what he was doing anymorethose images were still fresh in his mind. The images of Kaoru, dying beneath himby his blade. What was that supposed to mean?

He shook his head. No, he concluded, he hadn't been seeing Kaoru. It was a replay of Tomoe's unneeded death. He was beginning to replay his late wife's death again in his mind. He had been so careful not to replay the scene.

But, it had still been different. He had his crossed scar. Then it couldn't have been Tomoe's death he had seen.

Then- had it been Kaoru's downfall he had seen? Kenshin flopped down onto his futon is distress. He couldn't figure out what was going on, or why it was happening. It scared him. He usually had such good control over his emotions. But ever sinceever since he had prayed to Kami, things had changed. Ever since he had run into Sireta in the field that day. Things had changed. He had changed.

He wasn't sure if he liked these changes.

Promises he had made himself were slowly starting to fall apart and he was losing his edge. He wasn't able to hide as well anymore, and he didn't really feel like the Battousai. He felt as if he had to force himself to be the assassin. Of course, he countered, he never truly was an assassin, that was something he had evolved into.

Shaking his head he tried to sleep. But sleep decided to evade him that night. The images he had seen continued to replay in his mind, the scent of jasmines and blood assaulting his senses. The feel of death gripped roughly at his heart, mind, and skinhe felt the cold darkness he had drawn upon her doomed body. Kenshin felt sick, as if the images were a forewarning of some sort.

He couldn't sleep, he finally discovered. Sighing he rolled out of his futon again, and tried lethargy to sleep against the wall. After an hour, he gave up on that too. He needed to talk to someone, he decided. But he had no friends, he reminded himself. So who was he supposed to talk to?

That voice...

She had told him that if he needed to talk to someone, just to stop by. She would be there. No, he told himself.

He had bugged Kaoru enough for one night.

Why did he trust her so much already, he asked himself. This was completely unlike him. There was no reason to even be civil with her, he reminded himself. Besides, he rationalized; she probably didn't expect a visit at midnight from him because he needed to talk to someone.

Why he would talk to her, someone he barely knew, he wasn't sure of.

He was so confused. Kenshin had no clue what was going on in his mind. Ever since she had held her ground against him everything had become harder. So much more vivid and much more confusing.

Too much for him.

A few moments later he found himself walking down the path again. He cursed himself. He hadn't even known he was walking, not to mention weaponless at that. He was simply in a sleeping yukata, walking down the path to the house he swore he wouldn't go to. He knew he could just turn back around and go back to the Inn, but his feet didn't listen to his reasoning in his mind. They just pulled him farther on to down the path again.

His feet kicked up dust, and he was vaguely aware that he had even put on his sandals without noticing it. Sometimes deep brooding wasn't a good thing, he decided.

In the distance he could see the field again, the one with the charred firewood in the center that was hastily covered in dirt. No longer was it a place of tranquility; it was covered in sin, just like everything else.

Not far away, he knew, was that house again. Despite his better judgment he continued on in his mechanical walking and walked directly in front of the dojo. His eyes scanned the area, slowly melding from amber to a hesitant blue. Everything was silent and the wind blew through the leaves of the surrounding trees in a soothing way. Kenshin stood there staring at the scenery around him.

"Back to check on me already?" came the familiar, sultry voice of Kaoru. "I told you I'd be fine on my own."

Kenshin turned around, and saw that she had just walked out from the bathhouse. Her hair was still damp and clung to her yukata and exposed skin. Her arm was still in the makeshift sling as she stood there.

Not waiting for a response, she walked next to him.

"You do know, you're a lot different than I expected." she stated almost silently, as if she was afraid he would strike her.

He bent his head to the side and followed her inside. "How so?"

"Aren't you supposed to be off killing someone?" she asked, a slight tinge of disgust hidden in her voice.

"I have the week off." his response was gruff and angered. "I never would have met you in that field if I didn't have the week off."

She turned and looked at him. "You never would have saved me from Gohei, either."

"Just because I'm a hitokiri doesn't mean that's all I do, cause death every night."

"I understand." she told him. "You are so strange."

She motioned for him to sit. "How many people do you let get away with everything I have done to you so far?"

His eyes were questioning, and she noticed this. Kaoru sighed and decided to answer his questions.

"I've snuck up on you, I've cut your fingers and slapped you, called you strange and ordered you around." She told him. "How many people get away with that?"

"I've never had to put up with it before. Everyone is too afraid of me to give me their straight opinion."

She nodded. "Is that why you haven't bothered to even draw your sword against me to scare me?"

"I'm not only meant to scare people."

"You're different than I expected, like I said before." she told him.

"Why?"

"I never thought Battousai could be so, well, what's the word I want? Civil?" she said. "I never knew he could care enough about someone to check on them the way you do me."

He glared. "You're different. No one has ever snuck up on me before."

"You let your guard down, how is that so different? That doesn't explain your strange personality."

"What is there to explain?"

"I don't know. It's just different."

Silence ensued after this, causing a dark and tormenting void in their conversation. But Kenshin had to think. Why? Why did he keep coming back here?

'Jasmines. Damn, that was it. What was it with that scent?' He asked himself. There was no way in the world he could be so attracted to the scent, could there?

No, he told himself. He wasn't attracted to the scent; he was attracted to the person who wore the scent. The innocent, warrioress beauty that wore the scent was why he kept coming back.

With this in mind, he stared away from her, letting his eyes turned to amber again. No, he couldn't feel that way again. He couldn't endanger another innocent life. It was just so hard to stay away.

Kenshin stirred, shaking his head. His eyes opened and then turned into slits. Where was he? He defiantly wasn't at the inn right now. His eyes searched the room and he noticed through a window that the sun was coming up. The colors that crossed the sky were beautiful, he admitted. But where was he?

He stepped through the door, and slowly walked around. He remembered where he was now. Why he was there was his question. He shouldn't have been there.

Picking up his discarded katana, he stepped out the door and decided to walk by the river, maybe clean his hands. He suddenly felt really bloody.

The water looked like some sort of pinkish candy when he looked down at it as it reflected the sky. He stared at it slightly, his eyes boring into the colors where his reflection bounced back to him. A sigh caught his ears and he let his eyes flow over to the side.

There she was, standing there already dressed and staring down at the water, also. A small, contented smile was on her face, and her arm was out of the sling, which lay nearby. This time her kimono was yellow, but it had small red and purple flowers strewn around it. Her hair was down with a comb and a ribbon in it. It was somewhat messy; giving the appearance that she didn't do it much. He was in awe, but angry all at once. He shouldn't even still be there.

"I couldn't sleep." she said.

"You knew I was here?" he asked, a little shocked.

She nodded. "I heard you walk up."

"Why aren't you in your sling?"

"It got in the way, I was trying to sleep out here."

He lowered his head, fully knowing why she couldn't sleep inside that night. He had fallen asleep in the hallway, next to her room and it must have seemed strange. He had come to talk, and they had spoken, but somewhere along the line he had drifted off to sleep.

"It's not your fault." she told him. "I didn't mind that you were in there sleeping. It was just that whenever I started to drift off I'd start to get nightmares. It's become a common thing for me, but I don't like to sleep when I have nightmares. So I just stay up and hope I'll become so exhausted I won't have nightmares when I finally sleep."

"You're lying."

She turned, her blue eyes piercing his own molten gold ones. "I am not lying! How lowly do you think of me? First you claim I'm a whore and now you're calling me a lair? I thought that perhaps you may have respected me as a swordswoman, but I suppose you don't even have that for me. I'm a crutch to you."

"I have respect for you." he defended himself.

"Then treat me like you do."

"You call slamming my fingers shut in a wooden chest showing respect to me?"

"You were getting into my intimate wear, what was I supposed to do, just stand there?" she said, crossing her arms.

"And you say I'm strange."

"How am I strange?"

"You're not the traditional Japanese woman." He told her. "You've got more of an attitude, and I have a feeling you cover most of it up around me because you're scared."

Shaking in anger, Kaoru walked up to him and got straight in his face, her hands on her hips, despite the pain in her still healing shoulder.

"You listen to me! You do not scare me, not in the slightest! Just because you are a hitokiri doesn't mean I'm going to be terrified of you! I have confidence in my skills. You may be Battousai, but that doesn't mean anything. That's a title, and that's it. Why should I be afraid of a title?"

He shook his head. "You are very naïve, you do realize this, don't you?"

She glared. "You're hardheaded."

"You aren't cautious enough."

"Listen to me. I opened my home to you. You're welcome here whenever you wish to come by. Now tell me, does that make me afraid of you? If I were scared of you, I wouldn't want you around. I may be naïve and I may not be very cautious, but I'm all alone here. I don't like to be lonely. I'm sure you know what that feels like." she said. "You're just to stubborn to think that I can feel that way too, that I can have some emotional intelligence."

"You are very very stupid to let an assassin come to your home and invade it, when he could be ordered to kill you at any time. But, at the same time, I thank you. I do know what it is like to be lonely, and it's been a long time before I've ever had somewhere I could go that I was wanted."

She nodded." That's all you want."

Kenshin didn't agree nor did he disagree. So many fears ran through his mind at that moment, of things that could happen because of his contentment. He shouldn't be feeling content around her, but it was hard not to. She was lively and yet calm and kind all at the same time and it confused him. In that short span of four days, he had been drawn to her and bound with invisible ropes to her life. He couldn't stay away and he wanted to. And at the same time, he wanted to stay. It was so confusing.

Everything will turn out okay.

Jasmines meant that. Maybe, just maybe Kami was giving him some true solace in his morbid life? Was there truly a light, or was this going to end up like the last time he developed a relationship? He couldn't drag her into thisshe was too innocent.

"I needed to tell you something."

Her eyes lightened a little. "Yes?"

"I went back and I asked... have a clear conscience, it wasn't me who killed your parents." he told her calmly.

"Wellthat's a little bit of a relief, I suppose." she answered him. "But I wasn't really worried about that."

"If I had killed them"

"You can't really change what happened then. All I want to do is have it all leave my mind. Don't you have anything you wish you couldn't remember?" she whispered.

Sakura. Akane. Kasumi.

Tomoe.

And if he could remember is parents, them too.

Master Hiko's disappointment.

He nodded. "Yes, many things. Including my job."

"Understandably."

She turned her attention back to the water.

"Were you up all night?" he asked, noticing the sun moving up higher as the colors changed.

Kaoru nodded. "I told you that I couldn't sleep, didn't I?"

"You should go rest. It will do well for those small injuries you acquired yesterday." he told her.

"You sound worried."

He glared. "I'm being civil with you. It has to do with the whole respect thing."

She nodded and turned to walk, but stopped suddenly. "Thank you. I suppose you're going to fix the dojo and then leave before I wake up?"

"How did you know?" he asked, a half smile tugging at his lips as she grinned.

"So you can smile." she said. "I'm glad you have some emotion under that exterior of yours. Well, since you demand that I go to sleep so bad, I'm going."

She lifted up her sling and reslung her arm through it and then walked off toward the dojo, walking past him. He followed her somewhat with his eyes before he followed her back. He might as well get to work on the dojo. Then he could leave and never come back.

"You do realize now, you're a part of my makeshift family now. So don't you dare think of never coming back again. I'll hunt you down on my own." she told him.

"But you don't even know my name."

"Well, if that bothers you so much, then tell me. What is your name? I don't want to call you Battousai." she said. "But I'll call you whatever you tell me to."

He stopped. He hadn't given anymore thought to what he should tell her to call him. He wanted to tell her just to forget it but he needed to tell her. She seemed determined to get it out of him, and he was kind of scared of her tactics. He knew she could be violent.

"Kenshin Himura."

She smiled. "Alright Kenshin, I'll call you that."

"Alright, Kaoru-san."

"I hate the honorific, just so you know. You forget it if you want to."

He nodded in response.

Kaoru led them inside and then departed toward her room. Kenshin stood there by himself, trying to decide what he wanted to do. He could just leave now and never fix the dojo. But he promised. And then if he fixed it fast enough, he could leave and never return. But she'd come after him, he didn't doubt that. Already she was considering him a member of her makeshift family.

He felt a little strange. It had been a while since he'd been considered a member of a family. He was uneasy with it. After what happened to every other person he'd began to know, he didn't trust that his luck would change now. His parents had died. His 'sisters' had died. He had left Master Hiko to fight. Tomoe had died by his sword. And now, he had to worry about Kaoru.

Shaking his head, he went into the dojo. He might as well fix it.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE! I had horrible writers block, so I had to force myself to sit and just write. So I apologize if this chatper was horrible. As you can see from the top author's note, I started this chapter a long time ago. Almost 20 days. I'm so sorry. And since I wanted to get this out now, I didn't get a chance to make out personal review responses. I will do that in the next chapter, or at least I will try. I joined Cheerleading so my updates are going to be less and less. I am so much busier now.

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	7. A Promise To Keep

**Disclaimer:** If Kenshin was mine, I would have no need to write fiction, now would I? 

**Author's Notes:** AhhOkay. I know that the name 'Sireta' has been popping up a lot lately in the story. I apologize. Wherever it says 'Sireta' it should say 'Kaoru'. I'm taking another story I wrote and changing the characters names and some other little facts that I've written so that I can make this a Batt/Kao story. Like I said in the previous notes, please tell me where I wrote 'Sireta' by e-mailing me at the address on my author's page. Copy down the story into to word if you could and wehre I wrote the wrong name, please color it so it is easier for me to find. I will update with the corrections ASAP if you can do this for me. I would do it on my own, but my time is sparse as it is. I didn't mean for the last chapter to be a filler chapter, so I hope this one doesn't seem that way, either. The whole theme of the story is Kaoru teaching Battousai to trust again.

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 7- A Promise To Keep_**

Kenshin stood and surveyed his work. The floors looked good as new, no splints where a foot could catch a splinter, no out of place boards. He was actually surprised that he could fix something up so well after the destruction that had covered it before.

He whipped his brow and then preceded to clean up the mess his work had caused. Then he would leave some food behind for Kaoru before he left, just to be sure she didn't catch the whole place on fire. Then he'd never come back again.

Turning around, he bowed his head before walking out the door. He bumped into something.

"You didn't make it in time. You're still here and I'm up." Kaoru grinned. "I guess you're staying longer."

"I didn't plan on staying any longer then I need to." He growled.

"You show too much anger," she told him, crossing her only usable arm across her chest. "You really should try feeling other emotions. I know it's not good for the assassin, but couldn't you at least be human around other people?"

He glared down at her. "If you don't like what I am then why are you welcoming me here in the first place?"

"If you didn't like being here then why would you keep coming back? You are offered something here you're not used to, I can tell by how defensive you get at slight kind gesture." she countered.

"I really don't know why I keep coming back, it's been troubling me. I keep asking myself the same question..." he stopped short, upon realizing he was explaining his inner thoughts.

Kaoru's eyebrow rose. "Go on."

He shook his head. "Don't meddle with my mind more than you already have."

"You're going to get yourself killed one of these days, you know," she told him. "You really are. And then what? You will have died not knowing that anger isn't the only emotion. Don't expect me to cry over a stubborn man. I'll be crying over the man he could have been if his ego didn't get in the way."

"Thanks." He muttered. "I'll remember that the next time Katsura sends me out."

He cursed himself. He had told her the name of his boss. Great, more information that could leak out. He was seriously beginning to jepordize the Ishin Shishi's secrecy.

"You do that, Kenshin." Kaoru muttered. "You are thickheaded. One of these days you'll understand what I mean."

"You really are testing me, you know this?" Kenshin barked. "I'd say you're not in a position to be angering me. You're injured. No chance to fight back. I could kill you with one swipe."

"If you wanted me dead," she began, turning to him, "then you would have killed me back in that field that day we met."

She marched out. Kenshin stared at her. She was right. If he had wanted to kill her he would have already done the deed and gotten it over with. She trusted him now. That was foolish of her, he told himself. She was naïve and innocent to the ways of the world. He suspected she had some problems with the fact being she ran a dojo and had Zanza, fighter for hire, as her closest friend, but she was still blind to the horrors of the war.

He envied her.

His face contorted with the unexpected emotion.

And to top it all off, he couldn't call her foolish for trusting him, because he was guilty of the same thing. He already trusted her.

Angered and confused all at once, he dumbly continued cleaning the dojo he had been previously intended to fix. He figured that after this he would leave. He needed to get back to the Inn before Katsura sent some men out to find him and endanger Kaoru's life in the process. Why he cared he still wasn't sure. She was an intriguing person, her strength and innocence, power and grace, intelligence and friendly demeanor. They were rare traits in men, and even rarer in women.

But she wouldn't let him leave that easy. She had said he was a part of her makeshift family. Which meant she'd probably follow him. Great.

What had he gotten himself into this time?

All of these thoughts whirled in his mind.

"Hey busu!" came a yell.

His head turned. He had been expecting Sano, whom he could see from the corner of his eye. But there was a little kid there, holding a shinai and pointing it at Kaoru.

"Busu! Aren't you going to teach me anything? Get me through all this protecting mumbo jumbo and then maybe I can become a real swordsman and train in a real technique!" the kid laughed.

Kaoru stormed out quicker than Kenshin had thought she could and had whacked the unsuspecting child to the ground with her bokken.

"I'm not busu!" she cried. "And that is precisely why I haven't been teaching you any techniques! Your ego is too big and I will not have a student who refuses to respect his sensei's style, Yahiko-chan! You can't learn a technique you don't respect!"

"Geez, can't you go easier on him?" Sano said.

"If you'd rather have this bokken up your butt, then yes, I can, Sanosuke!" Kaoru shot at him. "And besides Yahiko, does it look like I'm going to be able to teach you with a dislocated shoulder? But if you must train, do three hundred swings. Now!"

Grumbling the boy stood off to the side and began to train. A smug grin on her face, Kaoru turned to face Sano. He held his hands up and his fishbone fell from his mouth.

"What are you planning to do to me? I didn't do anything!" Sano defended himself.

Kaoru glared at him and turned. "Kenshin, you'd better still be in there. Don't try running off. You have to meet another member of the makeshift family. Get your butt out here before you end up like Yahiko."

Kenshin glared from the crack in the door with amber eyes. "No."

Kaoru's eye twitched and she stomped off toward the dojo. Kenshin found himself walking backwards. Why was he afraid of her? He could stop her if he wanted to. But there was something just so frightening about an angry, injured woman. Sano shook his head as he watched Kaoru walk inside and yank the cursing assassin out of the dojo and into the yard.

"Kenshin, meet Yahiko, Sanosuke's little brother." she said. "Say hi and then I'll let you go back to wherever you came from, but you have to come back again."

Angered, Kenshin turned and said hello to Yahiko. Yahiko jumped and hid behind Sano's legs.

"Who the hell is that?" Yahiko asked.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "His name is Kenshin."

"He looks like Battousai!" Yahiko cried. "Is he some sort ofcool, a real sword!"

She shook her head. "Men are so one minded! It's either 'oh my god, look at her' or 'wow, how many guys can you kill with that sword'." she sighed.

"I resent that." Kenshin said. "I don't measure my killings as great." He yanked his swords away from Yahiko's prying grip and glared his assassin's death glare. "Do not touch Battousai's swords."

Yahiko sunk back. "You're really... Battousai the manslayer? In the flesh, not killing anyway? Geez, did busu hit you on the head hard or something? I know her ugly looks are scary but I didn't think they'd be enough to scare the Battousai!"

Sano winced as Kaoru ran shrieking after Yahiko. He looked over at Kenshin. "He'll regret that in the morning. If he wakes up in the morning, that is. So your name is Kenshin, huh?"

Kenshin nodded. "I think she'll regret this too."

Sano cocked a sideways grin. "She was right. You are pretty okay to be around when you get rid of those scary yellow eyes. Why do you think Jou- chan's gonna regret this?"

"She dislocated her shoulder yesterday. It's bound to come back out again if she moves it to much." he responded, and then looked at Sano in shock. "What color are my eyes?"

"Blue." Sano responded, scratching his head. "Why does it matter? Don't you know your own eye color?"

A loud crash alerted the two the downfall and a screech told them that Kaoru hadindeedredislocated her shoulder in the process. Sano picked Yahiko up and hoisted him over his shoulder. He saluted Kenshin sarcastically.

"See ya round. Take care of Jou-chan while you're here." he instructed.

Kenshin watched Sanosuke leave before he walked up to the injured woman. She whimpered as she held her limping shoulder again.

"Mou! Stupid shoulder!" she whined. "I hate this!"

Shaking his head, Kenshin knelt next to her and look her arm in his hands. "Okay, ready?"

"Again? Great. Go ahead." Kaoru told him.

With a twist and a push, her shoulder was popped back into place and Kenshin placed her arm back into the sling. He helped her stand.

"I think our little talk this morning has helped a lot." Kaoru said. "You're being really considerate and more caring. I told you there were other emotions than anger."

Kenshin glared at her with blue eyes. "I'm doing what Zanza said. I don't want a fight with him."

She stomped her foot. "You're so thickheaded!"

He grinned. "Glad to be of your service, your highness."

"Don't push me, you may be Battousai but I hate to break it to you, but you don't scare me." she said. "I'm uncovering a part of you that you like to hide. I'll figure you out, you just wait."

"You should go rest." Kenshin said. "Really."

Kaoru wasn't going to argue; she really was tired. She followed him back inside and went into her room. Kenshin sat across the hall from her room, sensing her ki. When he was positive that she was asleep, he left to go back to the Inn. That was the only place he was pretty sure she couldn't find him. Besides, he needed to get back before Katsura got curious. If he had to come here to keep her from following him, then he would. He didn't need to place anyone else in danger.

Kenshin walked up the crest of a green hill, only to find the Inn in utter chaos. He shoved his way through the hoards of men that ran to and fro around the dwelling. Amongst shouts of 'Battousai's back' and 'he'll protect us', he had almost figured out what was going on. He had to find Katsura, and fast.

He shoved past most of the men that were there, none of which he truly knew. He never really got to know any of the men that took up arms for the same reason as he did. All he did was remain in the shadows and take his orders.

"Himura! Finally. I nearly sent men out to find you." came Katsura's voice.

"Forgive me, Katsura." Battousai answered.

"You seem troubled?"

"What's going on here? Everything is in chaos." Kenshin noted irritably. "Do I have to be here all the time to keep things in order?"

Katsura shook his head. "It was not your presence that has worried the men. Our forces in the east were completely disbanded by the Shisengumi, which in turn as sent the war against us."

Kenshin held his swords. "Let me guess, I need to take a few missions tonight?"

"I'm sorry. I know I promised you a week off, but I didn't expect this to happen, Himura. Yes, I have three for you tonight."

Kenshin took a hold of the black envelopes and nodded. "Anything else before I move off?"

"I need you to stay- for a meeting."

With curt, yet deathly nod, Kenshin took his usual seat in the back of the meeting room. He leaned back and opened the three envelopes Katsura had slipped him. Two of them contained the orders to assassinate Shisengumi supporters, which were political leaders. The other one was to assassinate a Shisengumi captain.

It was a few hours before the meeting finally adjourned. Kenshin saw then how badly hit they were. All the forces had been slaughtered in the east, and they needed to disband the tight Shisengumi army before they could send a new group of men in. A lot of the assassinating would be laid upon his shoulders, he realized, that the three assassinations a night were going to increase.

But he wondered if he could still kill. Something told him it wouldn't be as easy to shut it out like it had been before

Stepping out of the room, he heard more unusual commotion. He had thought that everything had calmed down before the meeting. So what was wrong now? He stepped around his comrades until someone stopped him. The man shook as he held onto Kenshin's gi; obviously frightened he had offended him. Kenshin decided to humor him.

"Do you have a reason for stopping me?" he asked him calmly.

The man nodded. "Some woman just turned up at the Inn, wanting to see you for some reason. The men out there are detaining her but she's putting up a fight."

"Did they hurt her?"

"I'm not sure," the man stated. "Why? Do you know her?"

'Kaoru... you are such a baka' he thought to himself. "I might."

Kenshin stepped past the man, not all shocked to se a young girl with midnight hair and her arm in a sling. She glared at everyone around her and they tried to push her off but she kicked at them viciously. He shook his head.

"Kaoru, I can't believe you managed to follow me here." Kenshin stated, uncharacterically leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a small smirk on his face.

She pulled away from the men. "I'm surprised you left such an easy trail to follow. I thought you, being the Battousai and all, would be able to mask his trail."

The men still held their swords to Kaoru's chest, head, and neck. She glared at them. "Oh give it a break you guys, can't you see he knows who I am?"

"You can go. I'll take care of her."

The men walked off and Kenshin walked closer to her, glaring at her with venomous eyes. "You are stupid. You shouldn't be following me around."

"Well when a member of my little family disappears, I'm going to find them! You, Sanosuke, and Yahiko are all I have. I'm not going to just sit back and watch you guys all run off." she shot back.

"Well, don't expect me back for while." he told her. "My vacation just got cut short."

She glared. "You do realize that you can stop fighting in this war if you just ask, don't you? You don't have to kill people anymore! I know you don't want to!"

"Well I am. I'm needed and I'll keep fighting until this war is over and the peaceful era is here. And then I'll stop." he told her.

"Battousai! You do realize that you're just a tool in this! You're not as significant in this war as you think you are."

"I've killed so many men that I amount to about hundred soldiers on my own."

"Then stop!" she demanded.

He let and eyebrow raise. "Since when was it your decision?"

"It's not, but I don't want you making some stupid mistake. In case you didn't realize, the war is headed toward my dojo and I'm not just going to stand there by myself, hopeless. Even with this stupid injury I'm going to fight until they kill me." She shouted. "I am not just going to sit there, especially when I'm alone."

"What does that have to do with me?" he asked her, confused.

"Well... I don't know. I just thought... well maybe I was wrong. Maybe you are still the thickheaded, emotionless assassin. I guess my attempts to open your eyes wasn't enough. One day you'll see Kenshin." she said, saying his name low before she spun around to leave.

He stared at her. "Wait..."

"What? Watch my back because I'm next on your assassination list?" she asked, angry.

He glared. "No. I'll make sure no one makes it to your dojo doors, I promise. And if they do, I'll be there to take them out on my own, you hear me?"

She smiled at him. "Okay. I'll keep that in mind. But you're not there and the war gets to my home, I'm damning your name to hell, you hear me?"

"They won't get within ten feet, I promise you this." he said, looking a her. 'Although I'm not sure why I'm promising you' he thought.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Ah yes. A promise, you all see? I liked the ending to this chapter. Kinda of. I'm making this move so slow, I'm surprised you guys like (or at least you say you do) it still. I'm listening a song from Escanflowne. My friend taped me a bunch of anime songs. I think this is my favorite so far. Well, must go. I don't know when I will be able to get around to review responses, but thanks a bunch to you all keep them coming, okay?

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	8. A Wars Casualty

**Disclaimer:** Is lady luck, God, and all the other gods and goddesses (depending on your religion. I'm Christain) and such on my side? No. Therefore I still do not own Kenshin. But... if all goes according to plan... 

**Author's Notes:** Thanks a bunch for the reviews pointing where I accidently left a 'Sireta' in the story. I updated that fixed it, so it shouldn't be in the last chapter. I still have to find the ones in the other chapters. The only chapters I know I can rule out are chapters 1-4 so far, because I've read them. The others, I'm not sure yet. And expect a lot less in the updating region. Basketball season has begun, our games are mostly away, and I don't get home until about 10:30 (depending on how far away the away games are) two nights a week due to that. Then homework (and exams... Argh!), so I'm warning you in adavnce. Anywayz, enough of my boring old chatter. On with the story!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 8- A Wars Casualty_**

Everything was a blur. Movements as fast as light shot around the area, man after man falling before they had a chance to reveal their weapons of various types. He landed easily onto his feet, his vision blurred and everything running in slow motion.

'What's wrong with me?' Battousai asked himself as his sword cleaved another man in half. 'I know I'm moving fast but everything is blurring together and moving so slow'

Twisting his body in unthinkable angles he landed cat like upon a building roof and stared down at the manslaughter below. It was murder, he realized then. He wasn't doing this for the sake a new area. All he was doing was cold-blooded murder.

He had never felt like this before. He was fighting for the new, peaceful era, wasn't he? That what he had always believed before, so why was he having second thoughts now? He took a hold of his head. A headache was attacking him again.

He hated this.

Not taking the time to see what was left of the men he had slaughtered, he moved on to the second envelope's mission he had to complete that night. Another easy job, he noted, because it was a politician, at home, alone. He took a hold of his blade handles and ran to the next destination.

He halted when he heard whistles. Police whistles resounded through the area. They were following him. For once, he had let himself get caught. Without thinking he sprinted off with the godlike speed he received with the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.

He knew he was far faster than the police, but part of him was still worried. He'd kill two more times that night, and surely they'd have more police out after him once they discovered the bodies in the alleyway. But couldn't think about the possibility of leading the police to the Ishin Shishi headquarters. He could outrun them, yes, but that didn't mean anything in the end.

He knew he wasn't up to killing people in the shadows again. The job was too strict for him now; he didn't have the control he had before. Battousai couldn't explain why this was happening to him; it just was. But he couldn't stop now- he couldn't get caught yet. He had promised Kaoru. He had promised her the war wouldn't get within 10 feet of her home, and if he got caught now, then he would break that promise. And being a man of his word, he didn't plan on shattering that promise, and especially not this early in the game.

Finally arriving at the scene of the next assassination, Kenshin was in for a surprise. The man he was supposed to kill was already dead, lying in blood in the street. He stared out ahead of himself. Something didn't seem right about this. It obviously wasn't a random killing- so who had done it? He made sure to keep an extra watch around himself. Surely this was something that was aimed against him. He didn't want to get stuck in a trap that night.

He ran through the all the streets, faster than he had before. The next person on his list was going to be in one of the Shisengumi teahouses. He was a captain of the Shisengumi, so the assassination would not be an easy one. He began to move more cautiously the farther into the enemy area he traveled. He couldn't jeopardize everything now.

He stopped and hid back in an alleyway adjacent to the teahouse.

Surely, waltzing right into the place would give him away. It would be him, a lone assassin for the Ishin Shishi, against an entire battalion of Shisengumi members. They were all well trained, and usually not that easily killed. But he was only after one of the members- somehow or another he had to lure him out. He glanced over the corner toward the doors. Men were coming in and out, drunk and sober. Kenshin didn't exactly know how he was going to do this, but luring him out seemed like the best idea.

Except that he'd probably send his own men out there before him. Finally deciding that he'd have to take the chance, he shielded his eyes and looked around. No knew members were out and around the place, so he slunk inside undetected and hid in the corner. He'd make himself noticed when he was sure he knew who the person he was supposed to be fighting was.

So he sat in the shadows, and waited.

"Captain, are we moving out tomorrow?" came a voice from the opposite end of the room.

Kenshin's molten amber eyes flew over to the corner and watched a group of three men being served by a dainty woman. The one that just asked the question looked young. He awaited one of them to answer him.

"We can't move out just yet, Okita. We have to be positive we ran the Ishin Shishi out."

There he was. The one with the wolf-like eyes. Kenshin stood from his crouched position, and prepared himself for the risk of a lifetime. There were nearly forty members of the Shisengumi in the room, and he was alone. Even the Battousai's skills couldn't compensate for that.

"Hajime Saitou, I'm here for your life."

All the men stood up and prepared to attack him, but the one that he had distinguished as Okita was the one that stood before him. Kenshin didn't move toward his swords, and he kept his head down so his hair would cover his eyes and scar. Maybe he could scare a few of them off after he lifted his head.

"Who are you?" asked Saitou from across the room, an amused grin on his face. "You don't appear as much."

Kenshin lifted his head, a menacing smirk on his own face that lit his amber eyes with a glint of evil. "I am Hitokiri Battousai, and I'm hear for your life. I don't wish to kill any of the other men in this room but you."

Upon hearing his name and seeing the scar, a few of the men backed down. That lightened the load for him a little, but not by much. The young looking one, Okita, still stood before him.

Saitou stood and walked over to Okita, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stand down, I'll take him on. You all act like you have to protect me. That doesn't say much for your captain, now does it? Don't worry. Battousai, I've been waiting for you to take me on. This should be interesting. Come."

Saitou's men stood down and Kenshin followed him outside of the teahouse. He didn't like how the role of instructor had left him and gone to Saitou, and he could tell he was a good fighter, but he had to leave this one alive, even if he couldn't kill Saitou like it had been instructed to. Kenshin flew into his battou-jutsu stance, and glared at the captain of the Shisengumi. He just smirked back; not at all afraid like all the other men he'd been order to assassinate. He seemed to be enjoying this.

"Well, attack." Saitou stated.

"Aren't you going to use your gotatsu against me?" Kenshin asked, somewhat annoyed. "Just because I'm the one doing the assassination doesn't mean I have to strike first."

Saitou grinned and then fell into his gotatsu stance. Kenshin eyed him before he shot off toward him. He watched Saitou's blade and dodged, performing his own Ryu-Kan-Sen. Saitou moved in time to just receive a knick on his neck that bled, but not the full reason for the attack. His head was still on his shoulders. Kenshin flew at him again, leaping into the air.

He went down with a Ryu-Tsui-Sen. No one could stop an aerial attack.

Well, anyone but Saitou.

Kenshin felt his blade connect with another, and pushed himself off before he could be sliced in the chest. Saitou just grinned.

"You seem bewildered someone could parry that attack." Saitou stated, flying at Kenshin.

Kenshin hadn't had time to recover from his landing before Saitou's blade connected with his shoulder. Drawing his wakizashi he made and upward slice toward his arm. Saitou fell back, pulling his blade from Kenshin's arm. Kenshin gripped the wound in his shoulder. It was in his sword arm, which was going to slow down his attacks immensely. He had underestimated this man.

Saitou flicked the blood from his sword and fell into a new gotatsu stance, charging again. Not knowing what else to do, Battousai did the only thing he could.

"Do-Ryu-Sen!"

Debris went flying from the ground and Saitou had to stop in mid attack to protect himself.

Saitou stood and stared at him. They were both injured, and both of them needed to be treated for those injuries. He attacked one more time, and sliced against Kenshin's back as he spun. Kenshin flipped quickly, and delivered his attack to Saitou's legs. The both landed, blood pouring from their injuries.

"We'll call this one a draw. But don't you worry, Battousai. I'll come looking for you again. I'm not done with you yet." Saitou told him. "We will fight again, and that time, the only one leaving will be the only one alive."

Saitou limped off while Kenshin watched. He couldn't muster the strength to move just yet, but he would be moving eventually. He looked around his surroundings. There was no way he was getting back to the Inn that night. There were no clinics in the area. He had to figure out exactly where he was.

He stood and began to walk out down the streets, keeping up his guard. He was still in Shisengumi territory. He gripped his shoulder and hunched over from the pain in his back. He needed to get to someplace that he could be treated for these wounds. Bringing himself to look up, he saw an unexpected thing.

There was a sign on a bridge, pointing out that the Kamiya Dojo was near. It was like a light to him. He knew it was still a bit farther away, but he could make it there. He hadn't realized just how close the Shisengumi were to Kaoru's dojo, but now he knew exactly what she meant by the fact that they were moving toward her home.

He stumbled up to the threshold and placed a hand on the door. "Kaoru- dono..."

The door flew open, and there she stood.

"Oh my god, Kenshin!"

Kenshin stirred. He was aching, but he had to wake up. He couldn't remember anything except knocking on the door of the dojo. He couldn't remember if anyone had even opened the door. He forced his eyes open, and covered them immediately as light hit them. He groaned and rolled over onto his bad arm. He yelped and then went to lie on his stomach. His back was injured, too.

"You're awake, that's good." came a voice. "Why did you come here?"

"I was to far away from the Inn to go all the way back there with these injuries," he explained.

"Alright. I'm going to tell Katsura-san you're here." she said.

"No, there's too many Shisengumi members out there." Kenshin told her. "They're closer to here than I had originally anticipated."

She stood. "I'll be fine."

He rolled over. "I can go on my own."

"Absolutely not. You're staying there. You lost too much blood to up and running already." she stated. "And thus, you are lying there in agony. I don't have any medicine, either, so I might as well go so I can pick some up."

He knew there was no use in arguing the matter any further with her now. She knew what she wanted, and what she was going to do. Any attempt to change her mind now would be futile.

"Who's the thickheaded one now?" he asked her. "Who's not listening to who?"

She turned and glared at him. "And look what your thickheadedness got you. You're lucky you're already hurt or else you'd be writhing in pain right now. I'm not being thickheaded, I'm being stubbornly considerate for your state of health."

He tried to sit up, but it proved to be fruitless. "And that is thickheaded. You're not heeding my warning."

"Well, have a taste of your own medicine. You didn't heed mine, and now look what happened. You can't stop me anyway." she told him before she walked out of the room.

Kenshin collapsed onto the futon after another attmept to sit up. He lay there and thought over why she would be helping him, but he already knew the answer. He was a member of her family as far as she was concerned, so she was going to take care of him, whether he liked it or not.

Sighing, he thought. 'Naïve, stubborn girl.'

Kaoru walked in the woods down the trail she had taken a day before to follow Kenshin to the Inn. It wasn't much farther, but she was beginning to tire. She hadn't slept at all that night because she had been keeping an eye on him. Blinking she continued on, until she saw the building. Finally, she thought to herself inwardly. Walking at a slightly quicker pace she came to the door.

"Who are you?" asked a guard.

"You don't remember me? I came for Battousai. Today I have to talk to Katsura-san, concerning Battousai. It's urgent." she told him. "Just let me past. You can stay there when I'm talking to him if you must."

The guard huffed and led her inside amongst the hoards and hoards of Ishin Shishi men. Kaoru followed, blankly, but she watched herself. She didn't doubt some of them had hentai minds, and she wasn't about to fulfill any fantasies.

They stopped before a door and she looked up. The guard knocked and they were bid permission to enter.

There sat a noble seeming man, but yet he didn't truly stand out from the rest of his men. He wore the same outfit, except for his insignia on it. Kaoru bowed to him and knelt next to the guard.

"Yes, how may I help you?" he questioned her. "I don't believe we've met before. Unless... wait. You have housed our troops before, haven't you?"

Kaoru nodded. "Hai. But I'm hear to speak to you about Battousai."

"Has he offended you in someway? That is very unlike Himura." Katsura said.

Kaoru shook her head. "No. Kenshin did nothing. I came to tell you he's at my home, badly injured. I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but he came to me last night with extensive injuries to his right shoulder and across his back."

"Is he going to be alright?"

"I think so, but I don't have any medication, and I didn't feel safe running around looking for a doctor. Perhaps you could send someone out to check on him? I stopped the bleeding, but I didn't sew anything. He was awake when I left him with my friends, Sanosuke and Yahiko."

Katsura nodded. "I see. That was very foolish of him, to just come up to someone for help. For all he knew..."

"He knows me," she told him. "We've known each other for nearly a week now, I'd say. It's thanks to him I have just this dislocated shoulder and I'm not six feet under now. He knew it was safe to come to my home."

"So your home is where he's been spending most of his off time, I see." Katsura placed a hand under his chin. "Anything special?"

She blushed. "No. I guess that I just kind of adopted him into my little family. I really don't have a family. Just my friend Sanosuke and Yahiko, and now Kenshin."

"I'm surprised you know his name."

"I kinda forced him to tell me."

Katsura grinned. "Thank you for alerting us to his state. Please go back and continue to care for him. I will send a doctor soon."

Bowing, Kaoru stood and left. She thanked the guard and then walked away from the Inn, feeling better now that she didn't have to worry about someone sending people out find Kenshin and then attacking her dojo because they thought it was her fault he was injured like he was. Now she could get back, and maybe pick up some pain medicine on her way. That way he would be more comfortable.

She followed her original trail, not really looking around herself for any threat. That was her mistake. In an instant someone had their hands around her neck and had pinned her to a tree. After pulling her ribbon from her hair, they made sure to knock her out.

"Wonder what's taking Jou-chan so long." Sano stated, sitting next to Kenshin. "How long is a trip to there and back take?"

Kenshin sat up and looked at Sano. "It shouldn't be more than another fifteen minutes."

Sano nodded and leaned against the wall. "Hope so. I can't believe you let her go on her own."

"Do you think I could have done much to persuade her otherwise?" Kenshin asked. "I can barely even move."

"True." Sano stated. "I'll give ya that. Just hope she knows what she's doing. There's no way she could ward anyone off with that shoulder."

Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Where's Yahiko?"

Sano laughed. "At the Akabeko. He said he was hungry, but he only goes there to see Tsubame. I swear, those two need to hook up. It's maddening to just watch them flirt."

"DUCK SANO!" Kenshin demanded.

"Huh? Where?"

"No, duck!" Kenshin pushed his head down just as a wakizashi flew above his head, chopping off a little of his hair.

Sano looked at his hair on the floor. "Geesh, what the hell was that?"

Kenshin looked over at the floor and lifted the blade up. There was nothing with it, just the blade. But the message was clear to him what had happened. The blade held the Shisengumi insignia, and that was enough proof to him.

"Well, what is it?"

"Someone's got Kaoru-dono, to get at me I think." Kenshin stated. 'I just broke my promise without meaning to.'

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Finally. Who do you think that was! WHO DID IT! Hehehehehehehe. Well. I don't know when my next update will be, but I'm hoping to get another chapter out before or on my birthday, which is January 5th. So look for one then. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	9. Promises and Oaths

**Disclaimer:** One little two little three little Kenshins! Four little five little six little Kenshins! Seven little eight little nine little Kenshins, ten little Kenshins in all! TEN MILLION CLONES ARE ALIVE! If I had the real thing, I would have no reason for clones, now would I? LADY HIMURA WE NEED TO GET OUR BUTTS MOVING ON THIS PLAN TO TAKE OVER THE ANIME INDUSTRY! 

**Author's Notes:** I WOULDN'T KILL KAORU: tries to look innocent but it's hard with the devil horns : And I didn't expect people to think Kaoru is the damsel in distress. I think I've made her out to be a lot stronger than the series does. She got to land a lot of blows on Gohei, she snuck up on Battousai, she HURT Battousai, and then she followed him to the Inn WITH an injured arm. Ya gotta be careful with how you place her. She has to have some moments where she needs Kenshin. But don't worry, I wasn't going to let her give up that easily, anyway. Hehehhehehehehehehe. Who knows? Maybe she will have beaten 'the abductor' before our hero even gets there! Oh, and D-CHAN3 gave me an idea. I think it's a good idea. So full credit to them, it will be introduced next chapter, but the idea will be in the final few lines of this one. Discover it on your own. Bless my reviewers, guess what? REVIEW RESPONSES AT THE END: hears unenthusiac applause :

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 9- Promises and Oaths_**

"What do you think you're doing!" Sano asked, watching Kenshin stand up on shaky legs. "You can't go anywhere in that condition! Jou-chan'll kill me if I let you! How do you even know that they have her? It's just a sword!"

Leaning heavily on the wall, Kenshin turned. "Just give me some sake so I can drink enough to numb the pain. I know because those are the messages a manslayer sends to another."

Sano nodded and ran into the hall. "Yahiko, get me some sake."

"Why do I have to feed your drunk" Yahiko began.

"Do not question me." Sano stated. "Just do it, okay? It's important!

Grudgingly Yahiko did as he was told. If he didn't do what his brother said to do now, then he'd be regretting it later. He shuffled off to Kaoru's kitchen, searching around for the infamous sake. Normally there wouldn't be any at her homeshe didn't mix well with alcohol. But amazingly, he found some, hidden.

Sano shook his head. "Kenshin, you're really going to be regretting this. Even if you think you know who has her, you have to find her first. And if you do beat them, you'll have to put up with her wrath afterward for moving around with those injuries."

"I'll take that chance."

"I never expected you to stay around as long as you have. You must have soft spot for Jou-chan, huh?" Sano questioned.

Kenshin glared, amber eyes burning brightly. "It's not that as much as it is she won't let me go."

Yahiko came padding back into the room, handing the sake jug to Sano.

"I really hope you're not planning on getting yourself drunk again, Sanosuke. I'm not dragging your sorry butt all the way back to Ruffian Row. You'll just have to stay here and listen to busu hammer on you." Yahiko warned.

Sano hit him over the head, feeling much better after the violent act upon his brother. "I don't plan on being the one drinking. Here you go Kenshin."

Yahiko stumbled, and then notice that KenshinBattousaiwas barely standing, using the wall as a support. He took the jug from Sano quickly, sucking the warm liquid down. He drank faster than Yahiko had even seen Sano chug the alcoholic beverage. The container went rolling across the floor soon after.

Yahiko picked it up.

"Now go finish those chores Jou-chan gave you." Sano told him, waving his hand around. "Maybe I'll come help you later."

"What? You expect me to cook, clean the dojo, the bathhouse, and the kitchen all on my own? Plus the laundry and the dishes?" Yahiko complained. "I'm not doing that all on my own!"

Sano shoved Yahiko out of the room and listened to his strain of curses as he walked the rest of the way down the hall. Then he turned back to Kenshin, who was leaning against the wall in a sitting position, waiting for the liquid to take the desired affects. He shook his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I'm warning you, this isn't going to be pretty when Jou-chan gets a hold of you. I'd say just let her get herself out of this. You're more injured than she is."

"You don't understand." Kenshin stated. "We're dealing with another hitokiri. If she fights on her own, she'll get herself killed. It's better for them to get what they want. I've protected her once before. Oddly enough, I find that I like protecting life more than I like to dispose of it. And since she's the first person I've been able to protect without accidentally killing them, I'm not giving up on this. I have to do this to prove to myself that I can. It's not just to save her. It's to prove that I can do something besides kill."

Sano looked down. "I still say you're going to regret this."

"I would expect that you would be more worried about her than I am."

"Unlike you, I know Jou-chan's got a few tricks up her sleeve. She could really surprise you one of these days. You don't give her enough credit." Sano explained, leaning against the wall next to him. "I just have more faith in her than you."

"Well, to top this off, I made a promise to Kaoru-dono." Kenshin explained. "I promised her I wouldn't let the war get within ten feet of her dojo, and I would keep it away from her. And if it happened to get to her, I would personally beat anyone and everyone who endangered her. I intend to keep this promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"What was I supposed to do, she followed me all the way back to the Inn I stay in with the rest of the Ishin Shishi members!" Kenshin complained.

Sano laughed. "She never gives up."

"I see this."

"But I think you have a big problem with her fighting. You really do underestimate her skills; you don't realize it though. Everyone does. It upsets her a lot, too." Sano explained.

Kenshin let his head hit the wall. "I've seen her fight. She's held her ground against me. I know she's strong, I'm not saying I doubt her skills. I didn't jump in and help her when Gohei attacked until after she needed me to. The fight began in her favorshe was the only one landing hits. But she made one mistake, and that's why I had to come in. I know she could handle a lot, but still. This is a hitokiri, and the ones from the Shisengumi are more out for bloodlust than because they're assigned to."

"I guess there's no convincing you either way, is there Kenshin? Well, listen to me. If Jou-chan's been keeping you around this long, when you get her back, you'd better not leave without at least telling me where you're going, ya got that?"

He shook his head, a slight smirk enlightening his features. "Sure Sanosuke."

He stood, the alcohol finally numbing his body.

"Well, I'm leaving. Just so you know." Kenshin said, just to humor him.

"Hey, I wasn't joking around." Sano shot back at him. "You know what, you can be pretty annoying sometimes. But I still like you, so I guess you're okay by me."

Kenshin shook his head. "It wouldn't matter if I was okay in your book or not. Because I don't think Kaoru-dono's letting me get anywhere anytime soon."

Kenshin stepped out of the room, carrying his katana with him. He felt no pain anymore, but Sano's words resounded in his head. He told himself inwardly that Sano had nothing to worry about with him leavinghe didn't plan on abandoning the first place and the first people who accepted him. It meant a lot to him, to feel like there was someplace he could go to get away.

That was, of course, unless worse came to worse. If he posed more of a threat than he felt was more than they could handle on their own, then he'd have to leave. But for now, he figured Kaoru's attack was probably done because she was in the territory, on her own, without a weapon. That made her an ideal target, so in all truth, she brought this one upon herself.

He couldn't feel his body move, he had numbed so much from the pain and the sake. All he did was move, trying to figure out exactly where she could have gotten off to. The hitokiri who had attacked her couldn't have gotten far after leaving his messageit hadn't been long enough yet.

He followed the trail he could tell she had taken to get to the Inn. He figured she had made it there and was on her way when she was attacked. He stopped when he saw the way the footprints were going. They went in both directions.

And then suddenly they slurred together in a messy way, followed by completely disappearing. This had to be the place that she had been taken. All he could do was hope for more clues to lead him to where ever she was. He stepped around a tree, looking at the ground for any indication that could tell him of her attacker. Hitokiri were hard to trace, as they preferred to leave everything clean, to keep their crimes from being connected to themselves.

But the thing that this particular hitokiri forgotor purposely remembered to leave behindwas a simple thing that could make a mans blood boil.

It hadn't been easy to find, but it was there, hidden amongst a branch and some bushes. An indigo ribbon, exactly like the one Kaoru had been wearing before she left. It was slightly torn and battered now, though.

And it was drenched in blood.

She stirred, waking from the unexpected blow to the back of her head. She could still feel the blood trickling down her neck from the fresh wound. She decided not to moan in painshe could tell she was being carried off. Her hands and feet were bound, but somehow, she had to get out of this. The binds on her feet weren't tied very tightlyif anything, they were extremely loose. The ones on her hands though, were burning her skin they were so tight.

Kaoru remained limp, trying to fake her captor out. There was no way they could know she was up. She concentrated on getting her feet out of their confines. She moved very slowly and very carefully, so as to keep awakening to herself. After a moment, one of her feet was loose.

The ropes fell of her of her feet and Kaoru waited. She knew what she had to do to get out of this guys grip. Her hands weren't far from his head; she just had to be fast. She braced herself, and with an inaudible deep breath, she pulled her arms over his head, the rope on her hand keeping them from being pulled apart. She yanked backwards, the ropes and her hands causing the chokehold.

His hands fell of her, and she slipped, her feet hitting the ground at the precise moment she slammed him down to the ground. She removed her wrists from around her neck, staring at the man that was now lying motionless on the ground. She knew she hadn't killed himif anything he was only knocked out.

Stepping away, Kaoru kept her eyes on the man. She didn't trust himsomething wasn't right.

Then came the laugh. It scared her at first, and she stumbled backward, tripping over a log.

She landed roughly on the ground, and forced herself into a sitting position against a tree. Attempting to stand using the tree, Kaoru kept looking at the man who was still lying on the forest floor, laughing at something invisible, she supposed. She didn't have a good view of his face, because it was hidden behind a large round hat that concealed it from view.

"I should have expected as much from Battousai's woman. You're not going to give up that easy, now are you?" he grinned, standing up. "You can' do much though, I'm afraid, without the use of your hands."

She glared at him. "What do you know? And I'll have you understand that I am not Battousai's woman, nor am I any other mans woman. No one owns me, and I intend to keep it that way."

He grinned. "Oh, you're his woman. I can see straight through you."

Kaoru continued leaning against the tree, her eyes trained to glaring at the man before her as he stood. "What makes you so sure of that? He's just a friend of mine, if you must know."

"No, you're his woman. He's already branded you, I can see. Not many people get to see him kill. The last one was a woman to. I just hope you have a happier ending than she had." he sneered. "Oh, I almost forgot. You won't, because I'm going to kill you anyway. At least this time Battousai won't have to feel the guilt of killing his woman on his own."

"Shut up." Kaoru screamed. "I'm not his woman. Why would it matter anyway? He can't fight. He's injured right now and it wouldn't be fair! There are rules to war, you know."

"And you would know, how?"

She stepped back as he began to advance toward her.

"You're afraid of me."

"I am not." she stated. "I'm not afraid of you, I'm not afraid of the Battousai and I'm not afraid of the war that raging outside my home. But I am afraid of being used in some plot to get at someone else. I'm not a little toy like that! And sneaking up on me when I wasn't armed and injuring me, that was dirty. I didn't even get a chance to defend myself."

He glanced at her, withdrawing his wakizashi quickly and moving closer to her. Kaoru backed farther away, ramming her back into a tree in the process. She winced but kept her glare straight on him.

"Did you want a chance to fight back? Because I'll give it to you, although I had been hoping to have Battousai watch you die in your agony. You don't seem to possess much of a fighting spirit, but you're strong for a woman, I'll give you that."

Kaoru stared deftly at the man. "How can I fight back? You have a wakizashi and all I'm equipped with is my kimono and my legs, which isn't much for my part. My hands are tied and I don't have my bokken. That would be suicide, which I don't plan on participating in."

He sheathed his wakizashi. "You do realize, you have a lot of nerve. But that's nothing. I think I'll do you a favor. Since you seem so adamant on me not using you to get to the Battousai, how about this. I'll leave him a parting gift and hope he can figure out who I am from it."

"What kind of gift?" she asked. "I can already see you're not one who cares about humanity."

The man spun around, a menacing smirk crossing his lips as he did. She retaliated against the tree, not expecting that look of self-assurance he had. Her eyes flew to his in a momentsomething drew her to them. By the time she knew why, it was too late.

"You attack your opponents weaknesses." he grinned, staring at her. "And you are the Battousai's weakness."

Kaoru wasn't positive about what had just occurred. On moment his eyes were glowing, and the next, she was unable to breathe. She brought her bound hands up to her throat, the pain she was feeling from her lungs was intense. Her throat went dry almost immediately.

He turned and smirked that same exact, evil grin he had given her before along with that irritating laugh of his. "And since you are his weakness, you will be the first to die. I hope you enjoyed your last breath of air. You have five minutes to break that version of the Shino no Ippou, but I doubt you could. You don't possess a strong enough fighting spirit. So I'll give you this message for the Battousai. When he gets here, which I believe will be soon, tell him it was Jineh Udo who did this to you, and that I'll be waiting for him."

He turned to leave, the dim light of the night that had transpired since he had taken her hiding his body well. Kaoru began to feel dizzy from the extreme lack of oxygen, her throat and mind screaming at her to breathe. She almost began clawing at her throat in an attempt, which proved fruitless, to regain her ability of inhaling and exhaling. Her skull throbbed from the pain of the adding up of carbon dioxide, her eyes watering and her body trembling and sweating. She felt faint, yet, she couldn't close her eyes.

Kaoru supposed she was already down to three minutes left. Her heart began to pound against her chest in rapid movements so intense she couldn't keep up with counting them. The sounds around her amplified to extreme amounts in her ears, causing her migraine to rise.

But she could make something out. Footsteps. Someone was running towards her doomed body.

She craned her head over to the side to looks, with her blurred vision, at what or who was coming toward her. At first all she could make out was red and blue, everything was slurring together as she swayed from lack of oxygen. She knew she was down to two minutes now.

'No', she commanded herself. 'No, I cannot die here, not like this, not now! He said I didn't have a strong enough swordsmans spirit to get past this... I have to prove him wrong, I have to show Kenshin that I'm stronger than Jineh's Shino no Ippou... or else I'll die here, in the forest, without moving a finger to protect myself, or Kenshin.'

Kaoru drew deep within herself, the thing she had seen and heard running at her slowly starting to move more. Everything was in slow motion, causing her to become confused. She closed her eyes tightly with all her strength.

She had to break this.

One more minute.

She couldn't do it. She put all of her strength, her anger, her worry and her determination into it. But Kaoru couldn't get herself to break through the attack upon her body. She felt more faint than before and could feel the thing that had been running stop before her drooping figure. She opened her eyes, and behind the hazy sight she had now that was dotted with black, she saw Kenshin.

"And you call me thickheaded. Look what your thickhead ness got you! What happened?" came his voice. "Come on, you got to hold on. I didn't run out here to bring you back dead, you know!"

That was it. She lurched forward, knowing her final minute was up, but her anger at him, for what he had just said, drew in a breath from somewhere she didn't know.

"Thickheaded!" she exploded.

He grinned, apparently satisfied. "Yes. Thickheaded."

The extremity of the pain she had gone through, and the fact that she was just getting accustomed to breathing again, caused Kaoru to fall face first into Kenshin's chest, heaving for air and slowly gaining it back little by little.

Unnoticed by either of them because of the seriousness of the situation, he had began to rub calming circles along her back, trying to get her stop hacking so bad and stop the trembling in her body. And, his eyes were violet.

"What happened? Who did this?" he asked, his voice extremely serious now upon finding the wound on her skull that caused the blood on her ribbon.

After catching somemore breath, Kaoru raised her head. "Jineh Udo. He put his... Shino no Ippou spell on me."

"Damn!" Kenshin cursed. "Why weren't you breathing?"

"Because, it was an advanced version of the Shino no Ippou I have only recently learned since I was banished from the Shisengumi." came a voice. "I'm surprised she broke through it. I believe I had to do with the emotional intensity of the moment that made her break it. I paralyzed her lungs, causing her to suffocate to death. You seemed shocked, Battousai."

Kenshin placed a hand on his katana's hilt, glaring before spinning around and looking at Kaoru's attacker. Anyone could feel the anger seeping off of Kenshin's aura, even if they hadn't seen the look on his face.

"Ah, so you're angry, aren't you Battousai?"

"Why did you have to involve Kaoru-dono in this? If you wanted to fight me..."

"Because, she is your weakness. I wanted to fight Battousai at the edge, angrier than he'd ever been before. I think I succeeded in that." Jineh stated. "Now will you fight, or do I need to put the Shino no Ippou on her again?"

Kenshin stood, withdrawing his sheathed sword from the ties of his hakama. He made sure he stood before Kaoru, shielding her from any other attacks Jineh might have up his sleeve. The man only fought in order to see the blood of others. He didn't care who's it was, as long as it was blood and he was the reason I had been shed.

"I made a promise to Kaoru-dono, that I'd keep the war away from her. Seems I have failed." Kenshin muttered. "But, if it's a fight you want, fine. Prepare to die."

He prepared to step forward, but hands on the bottom of his hakama caused him to stop immediately. Kenshin turned and faced Kaoru.

"I can't tell you who to fight with, but don't fight him, at least not now. You're injuries are too serious to be fighting so soon. You'll only stress your body, and even if you are the Battousai, that doesn't mean this will be an easy fight. Especially with those injuries, you'll be slowed down now and that's not fair to your ability to fight." Kaoru told him, her eyes grave. "Don't fight him, please."

Jineh grinned. "Don't let her distract you, Battousai."  
"Shut up Jineh." Kenshin barked. "I have to fight him now, he won't fight me later."

"Fine! But any injuries you get here, even if you've fallen, I won't treat them and I'll leave you here! Don't think that I won't! I told you I don't care if you fight him, just not now!"

He gave her one withering look before turning back to Jineh.

"Jineh." Kenshin stated. "Would you be willing to fight me another time? You said you wanted to fight a Battousai on the edge. If I have to protect Kaoru-dono and with these injuries, you won't even be getting the half of me. My fight won't be as strong as it normally would, because my attention won't fully be on the battle. You drew this one upon yourself. Are you willing to wait for my injuries to heal before we fight?"

Jineh stood and stared at him. "If I wait, that will give you a chance to come up with some plan to kill me. No. If you're what they make you out to be, you should be able to defeat now just as easily."

"You beast!" Kaoru shot back. "You don't fight with an injured opponent! All this is going to say about you is how weak you were in the end."

"Why, my sweet, what makes you so sure he's going to win?" Jineh asked, annoyed.

"Leave her out of this Jineh." Kenshin growled. "I'll fight you. Attack."

Kaoru felt herself get jerked back with the force of backlash from the speed with which Kenshin took off with to defend himself against Jineh's attack. They both flew apart almost upon the instant of connecting, and then they were both in new stances.

"Battou-jutsu." she heard Jineh whisper in his concentration of the fight.

Jineh's appearance had changed from belief in himself to worry since the fight began. Kaoru took note of this and kept her eyes glued to the fight, her bound hands on top of the log that she had originally tripped over.

"What's wrong? Scared?" Kenshin asked, his voice much harsher than before.

Jineh shook his head, that annoying grin splaying across his face once again. "No. I'm not afraid of you. You're just different now. You're angry and defensive for that woman over there, so much so that you want to slay me as quickly as you can."

"Don't waste my time, then. Lets get this over with."

Before she could pick up on what was going on, Kenshin had disappeared with his godlike speed. Kaoru tried desperately to see what was going on, but all she could hear was the sounds of the metal clashing again, and then the two men jumped apart. Kenshin disappeared again, and Kaoru listened and watched carefully.

The next thing she knew, Jineh was headless. Blood spurted from his neck like a fountain before his corpse landed with a thud to the forest floor. The dirt became polluted with his blood as it drank it up with an unquenchable thirst. Kaoru's eyes remained wide.

Kenshin stood, not facing the dead corpse behind him, breathing heavily.

"Hiten Mitsurugi, Ryu-Kan-Sen-Tsumuji." he muttered to himself, flicking the blood from his blade quickly. "I'm sorry you had to see that, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru stood, and looked at Kenshin. Her body wanted to faint, but she was too stubborn to show that kind of weakness to him. She stepped over the log she had been behind and shuffled over to him, turning so she was facing him.

"Come on. Lets go... I don't want to be here any longer, and we need to get you back again to be sure you didn't open any wounds."

It was then that Kenshin noticed her wrists were still tied. Trying not to get any blood on her, he untied the rope.

When he finished, Kaoru pulled her wrists back and rubbed them gently. Kenshin hadn't looked her in the eye yet, so she stood there defiantly next to him, not looking over his shoulder at the dead body of Jineh.

"I'm not going back with you." he told her, his voice gentle to her. "You can see what it causes, to have me around. I'm endangering you, and you've seen me kill... I can't make you harbor this for me."

Kaoru's eyes softened and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "It isn't the first time I've seen you kill, Kenshin. I know you don't want to do this. But someday, this bloodshed will stop. And even then, I'll still open my home to you. But for now, forget this happened, all right? You didn't have to kill him, yes, butyou did. It's over with. It's my fault you had to anyway, so don't blame yourself."

He shrugged her hand off his shoulder. "It's not, and I can't."

"Kenshin, listen to me. It doesn't matter to me what you do." she said softly. "One day, this war will end and you won't have to kill anymore. It won't be long, just wait. I'll be waiting with you, whether you like it or not." Kaoru bowed her head, and her eyes began watering. "Because I'm not going to let you take this all on on your own. And yes, this was my fault because I wasn't strong enough to get myself out of here on my own. If only I was stronger than I am, you wouldn't have to have done that."

He looked down at her head, her blonde all he could see with her head bowed. "You're strong, but in a different way. But, I don't want this to happen again."

"You're not leaving." she told him. "I'll follow you wherever you go, and you know that. You can't stop me."

"I know. That's why, I'm going to help you become stronger." he informed her. "Lets go now."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** THERE! New chapter ALL DONE: is proud of herself : There. SO MUCH BETTER. It's 3:06 in the morning, but hey! When I get in the mood, I get in the mood. Overall, I think I've worked on this chapter about a total of four or five hours, SO YOU BETTER LIKE IT. I hope. : pleads to the gods : Okay.

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee

PS- I ACCEPT ANOYMUS REVIEWS. So don't let that small thing push you away from reviewing me, okay: puppy dog eyes :


	10. The Battousai's Heir

**Disclaimer:** Kenshin… he's hear somewhere, let me find him…

**Author's Notes:** THIS CHAPTER OF BREAKING THROUGH IS DEDICATED TO RurouniNikkitch13. Read her story, 'Controlling Velleity'. You will be surprised. Very good. And I'm dedicating it to her because in her story, she said she was very honored to have me review. ALSO! I'M DEDICATING THIS CHAPTER TO SILVER TEARDROPS! She sent me something that made me so happy I could have burst. It was an an award! It says: Awarded For a Compelling Piece: Breaking Through. I'm so happy! And also, I'm so sorry for my lack of updating. I don't know what happened! Time flew! I wasn't really looking forward to updating, because of the lack of reviews on my other updates (a new oneshot, 'Weakness', then updates on 'Building the Hitokiri' and 'The Legend of Himura Kenshin'.) so yeah. Sorry to keep you all waiting so much.

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 10- The Battousai's Heir_**

_'He's going to help me become stronger? So I can protect myself better?'_ Kaoru thought as she followed Kenshin back to the dojo. _'But why? I can get stronger on my own.'_

Her eyes settled upon Kenshin's back, eyeing him for any signs of pain in the travel. He shouldn't be up and she knew that. Katsura's doctor was probably hassling Sanosuke and Yahiko, or had left to tell Katsura that she had lied. Her heart fell. That wouldn't be good for anyone, if it was the case.

"Kenshin……… there should be a doctor waiting to see you when we get back." she whispered. "I hope you'll let them work on you."

He only grunted as he went on, and she bit her lip. It wasn't possible that after all that, that he was now angry with her. Was it?

"You really put yourself in danger today. You shouldn't do things like that," he told her gruffly, anger laced in his words.

"Why does it matter to you? You yourself said that you didn't plan on staying around."

"And you're the one who insists that I do." he said. "And you have just branded yourself, I hope you realize that, Kaoru-dono. You're not safe anymore, therefore I have no choice but to stay around as much as I can."

Kenshin was trying to come up with excuses, and he knew it. There had to be a justifiable reason for this. If he could convince her, then he could convince himself, too.

"Branded myself as what, Kenshin?" she asked him "I don't see any marks anywhere on me that give as a claim of someone."

Kenshin put a hand on his forehead, gripping the skin there tightly. This wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to, because of the questions that were bound to jump from her mouth. But the way she had him cornered, he had no choice. If he had to explain this to her, he'd go the indirect path, that way it wouldn't seem so much as if he was the one doing the claiming.

"Kaoru-dono, what did Jineh call you?" he questioned.

Kaoru stopped in her tracks, trying to remember exactly what Jineh had called her.

"Battousai's woman." she breathed.

Kenshin nodded. "You've been branded that, Kaoru-dono."

She hung her head; shock dissolving her body and flowing thought her veins. Battousai's woman. They thought she was Kenshin's woman? Why? It didn't make sense to her. Why would they think that?

"Why do they think that?" she questioned.

Kenshin stopped and turned to her, seeing she hadn't walked from the moment he had asked her what Jineh had called her. He kept his eyes glued on her, searching her face for fear, or any other emotion. Not even the slightest emotion spilled from her features, which in turn scared him.

"Because you worry about me. Because I spend time with you, I talk to you. Because I protect you. Because it was you I came to when I was injured. The Shisengumi and my other enemies probably have spies hanging around your dojo at all times, trying to figure out a way to get to you." he explained softly.

She lifted her head, which had been facing downward as he began to explain the reasoning behind this. "But……… why me, Kenshin? I'm sure there has to be………"

He shook his head. "There was only one other, and she's dead now. I don't converse much with other people, as you've noticed I'm pretty closed up. I need this emotionless exterior, and despite your attempts I'm keeping it. But it's those small advances you've made that makes them so sure you're my woman and not just my friend."

"If you were to……… leave………do you think that they would leave me alone?" she asked.

Kenshin walked toward her, noting the seriousness in her gaze suddenly. This wasn't the vivacious Kaoru he knew, this was one who was worried for him. Why, he still didn't know.

Kenshin stopped before her. "No. That's what they're waiting for; they're waiting for an opening. Even if I were leaving because I never planned to see you again or talk to you, they'd still take advantage of the moment. Next time it may not be a kidnapping, Kaoru-dono. I can't take that chance."

She looked at him, setting defiance through her gaze. "You don't need to protect me, Kenshin. I didn't have a weapon with me. If I had my bokken, this wouldn't have occurred, I swear to you. Besides I don't care what happens to me in this case. You're more important."

"There is nothing important about someone who does nothing but kill. And I know you don't need me to protect you, but, that is exactly why I'm going to train you."

She glared at him. "You have a heart, and that's important. You're using it now."

Kenshin blinked, and he could feel the change in his attitude. What she said was true. He was using his heart. If he had been emotionless like he was trying to say, he wouldn't be so set on making her stronger to protect herself. If he were emotionless, he wouldn't have gone to find her. She would have died by suffocation by that log.

"You're always using your heart, Kenshin, you just don't notice because it's only subtle things. The reason you kill is because of your will to not let the future generations feel the pain you do, it's to protect the innocent. That is a twisted ideal, but it's the only way you thought you could help. All the times you came to check on me, like after the fight with Gohei when you brought me dinner, that was subconsciously your heart working. You reveal more than you realize, either that or people just haven't taken the time to notice what you do show. Your not a monster, Kenshin, just driven in the wrong direction."

Emotions swirled in Kenshin's head. Should he be happy? But why did he want to cry? What was it about her words that made him feel so much better about himself, that made him so light? He settled for bowing his head and muttering thanks. Until he could process the extent of those piercing words of Kaoru's, he wasn't going to give her a proper tongue-lashing or thank you, which ever it should be.

He was confused.

"We'd better get back." he muttered quickly. "Sanosuke's waiting."

Reaching back without realizing his movements, Kenshin took a tight hold of Kaoru's hand and began to run. In his subconscious, he was making sure he didn't lose track of her again. Not only would that be devastating to him, by Sano would have his head. Besides, the faster they got back, the quicker he got to rest.

Kaoru sat in the kitchen, giving silent responses to the bombardment of questions from Sanosuke and Yahiko. She was thinking mostly about Kenshin and the news that the doctor, Megumi Takani, had yet to give them. She'd been in the spare room with him for over two hours by now. It left a forebodingly guilty feeling Kaoru's gut, one that tore through her mind and into her soul.

If he were injured badly, it would be her fault for getting caught. The pain he would be in, the extend time of it, would have been caused by her. She couldn't hold in that guilt; she couldn't hide something like that. And Kenshin, let alone anyone, had no reason to see her cry.

"Jou-chan………" Sano asked.

She shook herself out of her troubling thoughts and focused her attention souly on Sanosuke. "Aa?"

"That fox doctor is done, if you wanna hear what she's got to say," he explained. "I'm taking Yahiko home. The brat fell asleep, so now I gotta carry him. I think I'll walk that doctor home first, though. It's too late and too dangerous for her to go off alone."

Kaoru nodded in response and listened as her loyal friend walked off, hands sprung haphazardly into his pockets, that infamous fishbone protruding nonchalantly from his mouth. She didn't look up at him, just listened to go check on his brother as Megumi walked into the room Kaoru was set up in.

"Sir Ken should be fine by the end of this all." Megumi assured her. "I was hoping you could talk him into returning with me."

Kaoru looked up, her aqua eyes glazed over, as she looked Megumi's incredulous gaze. "He's made up his mind. You should know better than I that he won't change his mind."

"He needs to come back. If I can keep track of his healing progress, he'll have a better chance of regaining full strength and reduce the risk of infection. He's stubborn sometimes. I was hoping you could shed some light to him and make his agree to go." Megumi stated. "I'm only asking because of the importance to his health."

"I know." Kaoru responded. "But there is a reason why he wishes to stay."

Megumi sighed. "You are just as stubborn as he. If I didn't know any better I'd say you had a connection with him."

"A connection?"

"No matter. If he stays here, keep him under lock and chain, you hear?"

Kaoru nodded as quickly as she could and then Megumi stood and elegantly left the room without another word. Kaoru could hear the heated argument that look place between her and Sanosuke over the offer of someone to walk her back to the Inn. In the end Sano won over, and they decided to drop Yahiko off at the row house on the way. She waited for them to leave before she stood and silently made her way across her home.

The safety she used to feel here now felt so foreign to her being. Nothing made sense anymore. She used to feel safe inside the dojo, with the burning memories of her father's training and strength, her mothers flowing grace, but now, it just felt empty. She wasn't safe anymoreshe'd never be safe anymore. She didn't have enough strength to protect herselfthe Kamiya Kasshin Ryu wasn't enough when it came to war. She felt helpless knowing this.

Everything she'd ever believed in was now falling apart. Would she still be able to have these ideals, the ones about not killing? Was it true, that in war, you either killed, or were killed? It was confusing and she didn't want to believe it. But her mind, her common sense screamed to her that it was the truth. Instead of swirling colors, the answer was in black in white.

She was in the middle of an emotional war, stuck between the memory of a person lost, and a bleak future that tormented the man in the room she now stood before. She was stuck in the center of a physical battle, a revolution that raged outside her home, two sides clashing like sea and fire, neither side relenting. She was the target of many attacks, and her ideals were shunned after a war that had taken place so long, one that was controlled by men like Kenshin, a civil war that would be determined by the blade of a tormented hitokiri.

But she had to believe, she had to uphold the ideals and reasonings of her youthuphold her father's legacy. No matter what lay a head for her, she had to continue pulling the potential of people out, revitalizing them and making them better people. And her heart decided for her, that she would begin by working with Kenshin.

If she could save him from a demon that possessed him, the on that he carried on his hip at all times, then she could help anyone. And she'd work at this, no matter what, even if it meant death on her part. She wasn't giving on him. She wasn't giving up on Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. She was going to keep pulling through the winds of life and the carnage of war, all without lifting a bloodthirsty sword.

Catching her courage and bottling it, she slowly slid open the shoji door to the room that encased Kenshin. Her eyes darted around, in search of an unknown enemy.

"You're not the one supposed to be checking for threats. That would be my job, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin mumbled.

Blushing, she entered and took her seat next to him. "What is the use of teaching and preaching the ideals of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu if I don't do as I say? Protecting those I love without giving harm to others, protecting others without killing. Even you deserve to be protected, even if it is from yourself."

Kenshin was silent for a moment. "You do realize you'll never be able to use a bokken when I begin training you."

"I'm not carrying a katana." she stated. "You'll never get me to touch one of those."

"I'm not asking you two. There are alternatives." he stated. "We'll find something you can use."

"Why?" she asked. "Why do you want to train me so badly? I can never stray from the teaching of my family's school. I will never kill."

Kenshin looked at the ground by him momentarily. "The first principle of Hiten Mitsurugi. The sword swung in my name shall be swung for the people of the world, to prevent the shedding of innocent blood. You are the most innocent person I know, and you're ideals prove this. Our schools are not all that different the means of ideals; both of them are there to protect others. The difference is mine does not deny the death of the opponent, and yours wishes to change the opponent. Both are meant to save the innocent, although mine denies a second chance to the corrupt, yours is more merciful and gives them a chance to replace their lost innocence. Yours is a calculated technique, one with a deep love that pushes it. Mine is one that revolves around speed and battou-jutsu to ensure the victory."

She looked at him, confused. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Our schools are not all that different. I'm expanding your technique with mine; melding the factor of speed into it, to make your technique more precise and more advanced. You can't hold up your ideal of protecting others if you can't protect yourself." he explained. "I'm doing this for piece of mind. I'm swinging my sword, as I teach you, to protect the innocent, an innocent, you, Kaoru-dono. To prevent the shedding of innocent bloodyour blood. Yahiko's blood. If you can protect yourself, in turn the security of those you hold dear will be increased."

"Kenshin." she stated. "That's not why you're doing this. It's because I'm not safe you won't always be here to protect me. You can't relay on Sanosuke's fists, or my bokken or Yahiko's shinai. Therefore, in order to keep me safe, you need to be sure I can protect myself. That's why you're doing this."

"You can never be too safe."

"I'll be fine, Kenshin, trust me." she told him. "Worry about yourself now. Protect me while you can, but you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of me."

"You're going to get some training from me."

She nodded. "I understand, I can't stop you. I'll train, but I am not using a killing blade. And I will not even try if you don't get some rest, Kenshin."

He nodded. "Aa. I'm not as bad as Megumi makes me out to be."

"You're still injured."

Kenshin held his tongue. This question had been plaguing him all night. "Will you sleep near tonight, Kaoru-dono? I don't want anyone taking advantage………"

She gave a small, sympathetic smile to him. "Kenshin, don't worry about me. I think one attack in a day is all you'll need to worry about. Besides, my room is right next door if you must know."

He turned over and grumbled. "You're a very stubborn woman."

"You're a stubborn man."

Kenshin said nothing more, but she could feel his frustration building. It made her want to giggle. Standing she walked out of the room and went to her own, exhausted from the days experiences. Kaoru fell asleep almost immediately.

That night, despite his injury, a slowly growing hitokiri took up residence outside the bedroom door of a female kendo instructor, katana in hand, and slept listening to her breathe.

She held her new weapon firmly in her hands. It had been nearly two weeks since the incident with Jineh, and even though his arm wasn't strong enough yet, Kenshin demanded that Kaoru begin her training under him. Much speculation and arguing took place, but finally it was decided that a sakabatou was in to be put in her hands instead of a bokken when the times were necessary. He had argued that the wooden weapon would not protect her against a real sword, and she had argued that she refused to kill anyone.

So, because of the stubbornness of the naïve kendo instructor and deadly Ishin Shishi hitokiri, a compromise had been established on the choice weapon of a sakabatou.

Kaoru had never felt so cheated.

The sword was heavy, and that in turn caused her kata to become sloppily executed. Adjusting to the difference in weight between a steel blade in an iron sheath and that of a low-density wooden sword had not been as easy as Kaoru had originally expected. She had to go slow to get her movements into a semi-fluid motion; and then Kenshin complained she was too slow.

Too sloppy, or too slow. Which did he prefer her to have? He had probably been borne into the sword easily, but she had never handled a live blade before, especially one that still possessed the ability to kill. Just one flip……..

Kenshin watched as she moved. His arm was still in a sling, and he could sense the stiffness in Kaoru's shoulder from the now healed dislocation. She'd have problems with that, he realized, but there was nothing he could do. She'd have to work the stiffness out. He prayed he didn't have the troubles was.

She became noticeably distracted, and Kenshin frowned at this. Now what was bothering her? Pain? It was hard to tell, because she became so stone-like and unapproachable when she was concentrated on her swordsmanshiphe had known that long ago. She could show her fiery spirit when she needed to, but her concentration was always on the impending fight.

Shaking his head at her sloppily executed kata, he snuck behind her, slipping his arm from the sling and studying her motions more closely. He spotted the problem immediatelybesides the weight of the new blade, and her stiffness, she hadn't positioned her hands correctly and she wasn't holding her arms far enough away to make up for the momentum she'd need with the new weapon. Her feet needed to be spread slightly, too. Otherwise, to the untrained eye, she would seem to be in perfect form. But it was these subtle disturbances that could mean life or death in the end.

"No, Kaoru-dono. Look." He commanded, lifting up the nearby katana that he had long ago stranded to watch her practice.

Kaoru halted her movements and turned to face him, drawing her sword down before placing it back into its sheath with a wholesome click. Crossing her arms over her chest, an aggravated expression on her face, she watched him with hawk-like eyes.

"First, you need to position your hands like this." He explained, placing his the ideal distance apart. "Then, your arms should be at least this far away to make up for the weight of the weapon. Your feet should be placed this way, with this knee bent just slightly. Then, when you swing, swing down at a left diagonal and draw up after the hilt reaches below your hip. And repeat."

She nodded. "Put that sword down, quit stressing your shoulder and I'll do what you say."

Grinning at her demanding attitude, Kenshin did as he was told and resumed his post of sitting against the wall of the dojo. She adjusted her position ever slightly, and started up again. Kenshin watched her with a critical eye, staring at every muscle contraction in her body, and taking note of every hesitation in the stiff shoulder, or in her eyes. She showed so much, yet hid even more while she trained. It was like solving an enigma that went on forever. His questions would keep popping up without answers.

Her movements slowed again, and he mentally groaned. She'd lost her position enough to slowly seep into a more comfortable and relaxed, sloppy movement. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he removed the sling completely, and walked up behind her again, placing his hands on her arms and then sliding them down to her fingers, moving his body against her back.

"Here. Let me do it with you."

She stiffened and nodded slowly, and he grinned, glad she couldn't see his expression. She was nervous. Somehow, in someway, that made him feel good. Or was it more, that he was anxious to see how far he could get before she retaliated?

Using his feet, he moved hers apart to the perfect distance, and then mimicked the position with his own. He moved her hands over the hilt of her sword until they were in the ideal placement, and let his own larger, calloused hands cover hers. He was slightly surprised that her hands were so soft, but he knew she had calluses on her palmthey'd been bleeding a lot recently. He forced her arms outward to the distance he wanted, and then placed his head next to hers, so it rested on her shoulder.

"Okay. Now. Just let me do the moving, and next time you'll lead me, all right?" he whispered, so his voice wouldn't hurt her ears. Again, all she did was nod.

Kenshin moved her body in tune with his own, causing her to mentally remember what she was being taught. If this didn't work, he'd have to call it a day. He led her through a few more kata, and then slowly she began to take over. Mildly, he was aware of the growing blush in her cheeks, but he ignored it. She had probably never been this close to man in her life, and it was highly unlike him to make such a bold statement that in the end would mean nothing.

But, that didn't mean the little spy that was peaking around the corner from on top of his brothers head didn't think that way.

Looking up, Kenshin sent his deadly amber stare over at Yahiko and Sanosuke, who both backed off around to the front of the dojo without another word. He grinned more. His actions may be giving them ideas, but if they mentioned anything to Kaoru he'd have a few words with them himself. That thought alone made him want to laugh.

Her movements became stronger as he slowly eased up on his own control, and edged away. He finally backed up and watched her move, happy with the results. She had finally figured out how to move correctly without falling out of stance or loose momentum. He hailed to his own mini achievement.

Finally becoming exhausted, Kaoru pulled the sword forward and began on swings, forcing herself to go faster. She needed to think, and the only time she could think was when she was doing something that involved physical activity.

Kenshin saw her lost gaze and placed a hand on her sword hilt, twisting it restlessly from her hands before she realized it was gone. He held onto it, swinging the sword back and forth like a soup ladle. She spun and glared at him.

"Hey! I was just starting to get into that," she complained.

He hid his wide grin with a menacing smirk. "I think you were into it a long time before you started performing the kata on your own."

She blushed before glaring at him. "Shut up, Kenshin no baka!"

He pretended to look wounded. "That hurt. For someone who doesn't want me to leave, you certainly are mean to me." She rolled her eyes at him for his comment.

"Give me back my sakabatou, Kenshin," she stated, reaching for it and absently missing it as he dashed away toward the side.

"You need to work on your speed, Kaoru-dono, that was pathetic. I wasn't even going that fast."

She turned around, her ice alight with mischief. "Do you really want to push me, Kenshin?"

He nudged her shoulder. "Yes."

Taking advantage of the moment, she took a hold of his bad arm and gently twisted it behind his back. "You're so infuriating sometimes, you know that?" she asked.

Sighing in mock defeat, Kenshin turned to her, blue eyes with tears on. "You're hurting my shoulder."

She jumped back. "I'm sorry!"

He turned and gave her a bigger smirk. "I can't believe you fell for that."

She stared blankly at him and then growled. "Kenshin, I'm gonna get you for that……… you shouldn't use my sympathy to your advantage."

"I stopped you because you don't need to overwork yourself. Go take a bath." he said, grabbing the sheath from her side and sheathing the sword.

Her hand flew to her hip, and then her eyes flew back up to meet his. Kenshin held the sheathed sakabatou to her. Her hand went out and take it from him, but he yanked it back.

"Put this away, and don't think of training anymore today." he warned her. "Or I'll be forced to take drastic measures."

"And what would those be?"

"You don't want to know."

Giving up on him, she took the sword and left toward her room. Kenshin watched and was sure she was out of earshot before he did anything else.

"Sanosuke, Yahiko……… you can stop hiding in the bushes now." he said, turning toward the offending shrub. "I think I need to have a talk with you two about eavesdropping and spying."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Oh my. Battousai was a little more playful than I had expected. Actually, I didn't plan on him BEING playful. Oh well. This stuff happens, right? I hope you liked this………… I tried really hard on it. Now, to finish the new chapter to Silhouettes of Shadows!

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	11. The Legend of Tomoe

**Disclaimer:** Fiction, or ownership of Kenshin? Fiction, or ownership of Kenshin? Which do you think I have going on here? That's right. Nuff said. 

**Author's Notes:** Well well well. A new chapter. You guys liked playful Battousai. I didn't mean for it to all go down like that. Ooops. Oh well! Things aren't always going to go my way, huh? Sometimes these stories just take on a life of their own. Wow. Guess what? On Powerpoint, this story is 251 slides. I'm happy. It's actually, before this chapter, 74 pages typed, but oh well. I bought volumes one and two of the Kenshin manga, and I'm happy. Took me forever to find them. I think, so far, my favorite part is when Kenshin grabbed Kaoru when Gohei was gonna slice her, and he falls and goes "DISLOCATED GROIN!" And Kaoru says "Dislocated BRAIN!". And then she tries to run after Gohei and Kenshin pulls on her ponytail and says "don't run with an injury. It could be deadly". It's funny. Well, onto the story!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 11- The Legend of Tomoe_**

Kenshin sat, holding the letter. A new mission. And it took place tonight. He looked up to pay attention to Kaoru's training. His eyes flew over to the corner, where he saw Yahiko attempting to mimic the movements. Kenshin had to hand it to the young boy, he had spunk and spirit to try and perform something so out of his league. Yahiko had only been training under Kaoru for what was nothing more than a full month, and obviously he had some natural skill with the sword. He was enthusiastic about Kaoru's training; it gave him a chance to try and improve without her knowing.

Kaoru's lessons had been adjusted so that she could train Yahiko first as a warm up. That seemed to be a wise moveshe did better after she did the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu kata and placed some torture on her pupil.

His eyes fell again upon the letter in his hands. Usually he had a choice if he wanted to perform a particular task for Katsura, but this one had urgency to it that Kenshin wasn't used to. Katsura had said he had been requesting him because no one else could perform it. The name was oddly familiar.

Enishi.

He forced himself to think. He remembered that name from somewhere.

"Kenshin?"

He looked up; blinking his eyes until he was sure they were back to at least a shade of blue. When he thought, his eyes tended to change into a huge array of colors. Kaoru was standing there, breathing somewhat heavily and sweat just beginning to break out.

"Aa?"

"This just doesn't... feel right. Am I doing this right?" Kaoru questioned.

Kenshin had hastily shoved the letter up in his sleeve to hide it from Kaoru. She had a tendency to overreact, and he didn't need her doing it now. She'd been moody lately, and unfortunately for him, he had a pretty good idea why. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kenshin set his hand over his sword and nodded to let her know he was watching her.

She fell into her stance. Kenshin cocked a sly grin. It had been... interesting... to teach her the battou-jutsu stance, and she still had problems with it. Being a perfected master of battou-jutsu, he had taken to the task and had enjoyed it. It was somewhat fun to teach a kendo instructor how to perfect such a common-known stance. Her skill with it was already exceptional, but he was trying to put her close to his level.

She performed the attack she constructed out of her own imagination, one that Kenshin had caught onto easily and found to be a good asset. Not many of his attacks were not known by the enemies he had yet to finish off, and this one would be a life saving tool one day in the future.

"Was that right?" she questioned.

Kenshin scrunched up his face. "Sloppy, Kaoru-dono. Try spreading your legs farther, twisting your body a little more, and holding the sheath a little lower, with the back pointing upward."

She stood in her newly improved stance, and Kenshin nodded. "Much better."

"Flirting with Jou-chan again?" Sano asked, sitting next to Kenshin. "You might as well make it easier on yourself and just ask her to stick her behind up in the air."

"I'm not flirting," he grumbled.

Sano leaned back, closing his eyes and folding his hands behind his head, letting his fishbone pop out from his mouth without much thought to the image he presented. "Something up that I should know about?"

"Nothing that I want Kaoru-dono to hear."

One eye opened so he could interrogate his friend better. "That bad, huh? I wondered what that messenger was here for this morning while Jou- chan and the brat were training."

"Do you think I'll be able to sneak away for a few hours?" Kenshin mumbled.

"Sure. Just tell her it's Battousai business, and if that don't work, scare her." Sano suggested. "She may be a little protective since you strained that injury in your shoulder by trying to carry water, but she should understand."

"That's not why I'm asking this." Kenshin muttered, trying too keep his concentration on Kaoru's movements. "I don't want her following me again."

Sano grinned. "Don't want her getting trouble anymore unless she has to, hmm? I'm afraid you're stuck on that one. Jou-chan would follow you anywhere. That's just how she is."

"Could you keep her under lock and chain for me?" Kenshin questioned. "I just need a few hours to figure out who my enemy actually is. I've got a hunch, and if I'm right, it's not a good thing."

He sat straight again, placing his hands on his knees. "I can't make you any promises. Jou-chan can be pretty convincing when she gets that bokken in her hand and starts to whack you over the head with it. Does trying work for you?"

Kenshin thought for a moment.

"If all else fails, make sure you go with her." Kenshin decided finally. "She make have skill, but it's not enough for the enemies I have to face. She'd be better off committing seppuku if she wanted to follow me around everywhere."

"I think she made up her mind a long time ago when she said she'd let you train in that field over there." Sano stated.

Kaoru stopped suddenly, turning to face Kenshin and Sano. She dropped her sword to the floor, not bothering to sheath it as she took off in a sprint toward her room. Sano turned to face Kenshin. Kenshin's eyes were lowered, searching for a threat. He couldn't sense one, so he was just as confused as Sano when it came to the matter.

"Hey, why'd busu run off so fast?"

The door to her room was opened again; she nearly tripped on her way out again. She finished tying her obi before she turned to them.

"Jou-chan, what's up?" Sano asked as she walked out into the yard to retrieve her sakabatou.

She walked back to them. "I lost track of time and forgot that I had to buy tofu and miso today. I had better get going if I want to get there in time to come back and make dinner."

Sano shook his head. "Come on Yahiko, we're gonna grab something at the Akabeko since Jou-chan's cooking."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed, but Sano and Yahiko were gone before she could do anything about it. Kenshin stood, taking a hold of his swords and pushing them into the belt of his hakama.

"Where do you think you are going, Kenshin?" she questioned.

He looked at her. "You need an escort when you go up the market, Kaoru-dono, and that is what I plan on doing."

"I can go on my own. Don't you think I'd be safe enough? You've been training me, and I've gone on my own before. Why can't I now?"

"Why can't I go? Are you hiding something, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin questioned, his amber eyes narrowed slightly.

She glared at him. "No. I just want to know why you all of the sudden need to go with me to the market."

"Is it wrong for me to go to keep you company?"

She opened her mouth, and then she closed it immediately upon hearing his response. She nodded, bowing her head in a slight shame for being so hasty to turn him away like that. He hadn't left the dojo since he started recovering from his injuries, so she supposed it was only fair that he go too.

"Besides, I'll go anyway."

"What do you mean?"

Kenshin grinned. "You think you can control me, don't you Kaoru-dono? You forget I'm only here on my own freewill because of the danger toward you. I am not under your control, and I can come and go as I please."

She blushed. "Sorry Kenshin. Natural reaction."

A hand found it's way to her shoulder, and she looked over at it before facing Kenshin. He smirked at her.

"Don't waste your worry and apologies on me, Kaoru-dono. I understand you're just afraid of me leaving. Come on, lets go before it's too late." he stated, taking his hand off her shoulder and then walking to the gate.

Kaoru took a hold of her purse and then slowly caught up to him and walked beside him the rest of the way to the market.

Kenshin stood to the side while Kaoru began her shopping for the night's dinner. His eyes were wide open for any threat toward her. Most people made sure to keep away from him, sensing the danger that rained from his aura. He was just trying to keep his eyes pealed for any reason he would have to hide in order to protect Kaoru.

Such as the reason that was walking down the public road right now. The Shinsengumi out in broad daylight. He kept his eyes on them momentarily, waiting for Kaoru to finish buying the tofu. As soon as she did, he reached over for her hand.

"Come on. We need to hide," he whispered harshly.

A large group of people swarmed them, knocking Kenshin back away from Kaoru.

Kaoru found herself stumbling onto the street. She looked over to where Kenshin hid momentarily after she regained her balance. Praising herself for not spilling the contents of the tofu, she turned.

She stood face to face with the leader of the first squad of the Shinsengumi and the leader of the third squad of the Shinsengumi, Okita and Saitou. She bowed hastily and attempted to apologize for her rudeness.

Okita didn't seem to mind at all that she hadn't moved, but Saitou on the other hand appeared to be a little irked.

"I apologize. I was bumped out here before I could get out of your way." She muttered.

Saitou looked at her incredulously, trying to decipher if she was hiding something. Someone as innocent as her had to have a secret. Everyone had secrets. It was all a matter of figure it out and then tearing it from them. Saitou grinned at the image.

"Why are you here alone?" Saitou asked, his words icy. "Women shouldn't walk around alone."

Kaoru stood. "I will have you know I own, run, and teach at a dojo. I am capable enough to protect myself if I have have to."

Kenshin gripped his swords harder. Being Battousai in this situation didn't leave him with many options. All he could do was pray the wolf of Mibu didn't do something stupid. He didn't want to have to tarnish Kaoru's dojo's name because he tried to protect her and killed someone in the process.

"You mean the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu dojo I pass by everyday?" Okita questioned, cheerful to say the least. "I hear you have no students, what a shame."

"I have a student," she corrected. "Now, if you'll excuse me... I really need to be getting back to my home."

"No." Saitou stated, taking a tight hold of her shoulder. "You smell of blood, and you're school is a school that teaches a sword technique not meant to kill. Why is that?"

Kaoru ripped herself out of Saitou's grip. "I don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about."

"No. I recognize that scent." Saitou stated, immediately searching the area. "You've been close to a manslayer."

Her face showed no emotion or any other indication, and for that Kenshin was thankful. She could have just given him away to the Shinsengumi at that moment had she not been so careful. But he was ready to attack Saitou again if he had to.

His shoulder still ached from their previous battle, but that didn't matter. He had the strangest inclination that...

"Lets test your skill."

She shook her head. "No thank you. I know I cannot defeat a swordsman of your caliber."

Saitou grunted and he and his meant marched off, leaving Kaoru standing there. Slowly the townspeople began to mingle back into the streets again, swarming around her like bees and honey. A hand on her waist alerted her attention.

"Come on, let's get out of here before he comes back." Kenshin said, his arm wrapped around her waist.

She squirmed slightly to keep in step with him before he moved his hand to her back. Whenever there was a threat, he tended to take a hold of her.

"He knows, doesn't he?"

Kenshin nodded. "Aa, he knows. And he's still after my blood. He doesn't mind killing you in the process."

She was scared. He could tell. The Shinsengumi had boldly taken up residence only two houses away from the dojo. That was reason for speculation.

And the word 'Jinchuu' being inscribed into every crevice in the dojo didn't help their situation, either.

Kenshin walked around the dojo, trying to see if he could recognize the calligraphy that had been used to place such a cryptic message into the lives of those who now resided in the dojo. The biggest question was over whom the message was meant for. Sanosuke didn't have any enemies angry enough to declare jinchuu, but Kenshin knew that he did, as Battousai, acquire many.

The problem was trying to decipher who was behind this.

Soft footsteps alerted him to someone else's presence. The person was apparently apprehensive, and that troubled him. Emotions swirled within his mind, and that began to cause a migraine. He hadn't been forced to feel things in so long, part of him had forgotten how the handle the joys with he anger. And right now, knowing the state Kaoru was in, he was furious beyond all else.

What really bothered him was that he wasn't sure why.

"Kenshin?" came the softly terse question. "Do you think it's safe anymore?"

"No, Kaoru-dono." he responded. "It was never safe to begin with."

Kaoru took a few more steps into the dojo. "They used to be. Before the war."

Battousai shook his head. "A war that is continually fought because of me."

"Don't blame yourself. It's not you that this war revolves around. You're not much in this war, yet without you so much could have fallen through. You're fighting for your ideals, Kenshin, as twisted as they are. That's all that matters. You're a good samurai."

"I'm a hitokiri; I'm not even worthy of the status of a samurai." He answered. "But now is not the time to be considering these thoughts. I need to come up with a course of action."

"You can leave tonight, if you have to," she told him. "I'll be alright on my own."

Kenshin looked at her. "I can't do that."

Kaoru lifted up the black envelope. "I know you need to leave. Don't stay because of me."

"What makes you think this is only about you, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked her, taking a hold of the black envelope in her hands and standing dangerously close to her in the process, his amber eyes glaring down at her with a anger he'd never used on her before. "Why do you think this is about you?"

"I never said it was."

"You did." he corrected. "You just told me not to stay because of you. This isn't about you, it's about me. And that's what puts you in the middle of everything."

Kaoru glared back at him. "But I don't mean anything to you, so why do they put me in the middle?"

"Because of something that happened." Kenshin responded. "Like I said, this isn't about you. It's something deeper; a mistake that I made."

As Kenshin went to turn, Kaoru jumped forward and took a hold of his gi sleeve. She tugged at it until he turned his stoic gaze upon her face.

"What are you hiding from me? You're hiding it from yourself, too, Kenshin." she stated softly. "What is it? Tell me."

He brushed her off before he went back into the dojo. The concentration on his face was impenetrable, and it gave off a warning of danger and anger. But the anger was toward himself. The fight of a lifetime was about to begin, he realized, and it would take place on two separate battlefields.

One of them where blood would be shed.

And to his dismay, a second, on the grounds of his heart.

"It was an accident, you know." He stated almost silently.

Kaoru dropped her sakabatou that she had unsheathed to attack him, thinking it the only alternative to get him to speak. He had always communicated better through a blade, she realized. The time in the field. When he fought Gohei. While he fought Jineh. Training her. Everytime he had spoke with a sword in his hand, or any movement, had become more naturalized for him. He spoke through his weapon.

But now he was speaking without it.

"What was an accident?" she asked, watching how he uncharacteristically glanced around the room.

"Her death." he responded. "It wasn't supposed to happen, and I never want to it happen again."

Kaoru was confused. "What are you talking about Kenshin? Sit down and stop pacing, you're starting to scare me."

"I killed her."

She nodded, taking a hold of his arm. "Kenshin, sit down and then start explaining this to me."

Doing as he was instructed without hesitation, Kenshin folded his legs under himself and sat, his head hanging as he looked at the grain the wood that was now marred with tattoos that read of a revenge he didn't want to see happen. It was painful to begin thinking like this again, but Kaoru deserved to know. His eyes fell upon the design upon her kimono, his hand shooting out quickly and tracing the shapes along the hem of the sleeve.

"White plum." he murmured. "Her scent was white plums."

"You're not making sense. Please try to speak in coherent sentences, Kenshin."

"Her name was Tomoe. She was the first person I saved instead of killed." he answered.

Finding a place she could sit and attack him if he needed to be brought back to a state of normalcy, Kaoru sat and listened to the tale he was slowly revealing to her. Kenshin was straining to explain the things that he wanted to tell her, the pain he'd felt, but it was all so foreign. No one had wanted to listen before.

No one had worried more about him, forgetting he was a manslayer, than they had themselves. No one had ever wanted to know what drove him; no one wanted to know his pain.

And he even had begun to ignore himself.

"She was eighteen, and I was sixteen." he continued slowly, not looking up at her. "She ended up working at the Inn."

Kaoru nodded to herself, wondering why he couldn't look her in the eyes. "And?"

She was rewarded with a sigh.

"We were told to leave when the Shisengumi gained their first stronghold in Kyoto. We were sent to live in a safe house in Otsu," he answered. "She was put in the middle of one of my fights. I had been temporarily blinded and deafened, but that was all that was needed. She jumped in the middle, and I killed her as I killed my adversary."

Kaoru bowed her head. "You are haunted by that image."

"And you're in the middle. The only other person I've ever tried to protect out of who I was ordered to protect."

"You're not telling me everything. There is something tied to this that you're hiding."

"Kaoru-dono, she, Tomoe, was my wife."

The teacup she had been ready to hand him fell to the dojo floor with a loud crash as it shattered, the bits and pieces replicas of both their hearts.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I apologize for taking so long. . This chapter DID NOT turn out how I had hoped it would. Too much dialouge and not enough description. Do you think I might be losing my touch? I think I've just been way to too busy lately to really try and do work that satsifies me. That, and I've been spending most of my time reading lately. But I'm still proud. My story is offically at 275 slides on powerpoint. Yay! Well, review and let me know I did!

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee


	12. Beginnings of Jinchuu

**Disclaimer:** OH! The days roll by and I still don't have my Kenshin! I can keep wishing though… yes… Fuzzy-sama, Pelvis Elvis, and Tea breath shall all me mine…. And their little friends too!

**Author's Notes:** I am here to say that this fic really had no plot. It had a vague idea and what you have been reading so far is what I can come up with to get to the ending plot. If you can't tell, both of our main characters have finally come to terms with the fact that……….. well, that Battousai has some emotion in there. You'll see. I don't know how much longer this fic will go on, but I don't see an ending too soon in the future. Maybe 5 or 6 more chapters, okay? Enjoy this one! PS- I GOT THE THIRD MANGA! Happiness! In the little 'sidestory', Kaoru, Megumi, and Yahiko all brother and sisters, and Yahiko had a ponytail. LOL! READ FINAL AUTHOR'S NOTES!

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 12- Beginnings of Jinchuu_**

The hurt was so strong. But there was something oddly comforting about this. Had you asked either one of them how they had come to be in the position they were, neither could have answered. All Kenshin and Kaoru knew was that it felt right. Nearly too right, too comforting for them both.

In the end, Battousai knew, things like this could only lead to an impure and premature pain. This was the thing he had been fighting against the entire time he was with Kaoru. This was the exact thing he had been trying to dissolve in his life, trying to destroy.

Kaoru was asleep, he discovered, upon a further evaluation of her ki and facial features.

She looked so placidly comfortable. A gentle smile had graced her lips as she lay there, snuggled against his chest and underneath the blanket they had eventually drawn over each other. Small locks of ebony hair fell over her face and his shoulder, silent sounds of sleep escaping the small gape in her smile. His heart wrenched.

This wasn't safe. It wasn't possible. She shouldn't be like this around him; she should never be this comfortable when she was surrounded by a danger. It's wasn't honorable, it wasn't a pure thing.

But… but…

It _felt_ so right…

Shaking his head, Kenshin leaned back slightly until his crown of red hair hit the wall. The ponytail cushioned his head from the rough wood, a small obstacle in his wish of banging his head against the wall.

Unconsciously, he drew his arms tighter around Kaoru's body, moving her farther onto his lap before he was comfortable enough to close his eyes and think. He tried to ponder how they had come to where they were.

What had _happened_, anyway?

* * *

_"Your…your wife…" Kaoru mumbled. "You were married…"_

_Kenshin looked up at the emotion-ridden face she now held, her hands still in the position of holding the teacup that now lay shattered upon the floor before her._

_This was an awkward moment, and for a while, he forgot the dark hole of depressed feeling he had just been in. Kaoru was being too quiet… too timid…_

_If he was right, she was shocked._

_"That's…unexpected… you're a good man, Kenshin… therefore I'm sure Tomoe was a wonderful woman as well…" she responded, finally getting out of her state, but her voice being to soft his liking. It was lacking the passion she would have normally used. "Probably well near perfect."_

_A shuddering movement drew Kenshin away from the wall until he was kneeling over, a hand hovering cautiously above her own. "Years ago, I would have told you she was so. But years draw away the emotions. Even a hitokiri cannot lie, as you have taught me, Kaoru-dono, so I shall not do so now. I did love Tomoe. I loved her with the fierceness of the winds during a storm and the seas when the elements that control us all collide. Tomoe drew me out of the darkness once…but she was defiantly not perfect. She held in dark secrets…secrets that led to her tragic ending. I still love her, but the emotion has dimmed with the years of bloodshed…" _

_Kaoru drew her hand back to reach for a towel to clean up the broken clay glass, but Kenshin persisted and took a hold of her hand._

_"I still love her, as I've said. But the years of anger and warring emotions led to what you saw when you met me… a shell devoid of emotion, someone simply **existing** in this world with no path. Her death left me that…that…empty. I no longer had the passion that encompassed me when I first became the Hitokiri Battousai; my reason was gone. I was trying to protect the innocent… it wasn't until my sword penetrated her flesh that I had realized the whole time I had been killing the same people I had been sworn to protect by my sword's honor." he murmured. "I lost everything, and continued killing, but all the deaths I dealt were with no reason other than assignment."_

_Kaoru took a hold of his hand. "You're a good man, Kenshin, just pointed in the wrong direction…"_

_Kenshin shook his head. "No. You do not understand. I was back to how I was before I met Tomoe. Before I finally trusted someone so wholly that I over looked the fact that she was plotting against me the entire time, and then changed her mind at the end. She died because of that dark secret, yes, but yet, an even darker secret tangled deeper to the ending. She was killed because she was trying to save me, trying to stop the attack… she was trying to save me, because she loved me, despite the fact that I had killed her fiancée…"_

_Kaoru's eyes grew wider before she closed them, picturing the story Kenshin had just told her._

_"So many secrets…" she whispered._

_"Do you know how long I was like that? How long I dealt with that? Ten years." Kenshin continued. "Ten years since I've even felt well enough to… to even say her name…"_

_"It's demons like those that I; me, Sanosuke, and Yahiko, are here to protect you from. That's why you have friends. That's why we have emotions." she told him softly. "I'll always be here to take care of you Kenshin…"_

_"The last man I killed on assignment was the night I came back to the dojo injured." he stated suddenly. "And then there was Jineh. I haven't killed since, and I haven't received an assignment… until now…"_

_She suddenly found a black envelope at her feet, staring up at her with an ominous tone. Reaching down, she lifted it and opened it._

_"Yukishiro Enishi…" she muttered._

_"Yukishiro Tomoe, also known as Himura Tomoe, it's her younger brother. The Jinchuu proclaimed around your dojo… it's from him. He's come."_

_"Kenshin…" she muttered. "This could just be a coincidence…"_

_He shook his head. "No. Enishi was there when I killed Tomoe. Tomoe was all he had left in life. His mother had died giving birth to him, so Tomoe had raised him. To leave him with no one… it was only time before he decided to retaliate…"_

_"They want you to stop him before he comes to kill you." she muttered sadly. "If he attacks at the dojo, he will never get past me, Yahiko and Sanosuke, I promise you…"_

_Kenshin placed a hand over her mouth to silence her. "Kaoru-dono, he'll get through you. He won't go after the others. Just you. And he won't settle for injuries. Unlike the others… he has a philosophy, which is stated with his Jinchuu. I took what was most important to him, and therefore…"_

_She pulled away from his grip, standing and stepping backward. "Therefore…he's going to take away what's most important to you. When will they realize I'm nothing in your eyes, Kenshin? When will they see that? I've accepted that…I'm no more to you than Sanosuke or Yahiko…"_

_Kenshin himself stood, using his sword to balance his shaky legs. "That's not true."_

_"They… what?" she asked, her eyes already filled with tears from his story and the emotional rage she felt no other way to produce without inflicting pain. _

_"What you said…it isn't true…you don't know how much you've changed me since I ran into you…" he stated, keeping his eyes shielded. "I've been pulling away all this time, Kaoru-dono…all this time…"_

_Kaoru looked at him for a while, trying to decipher his words. Nothing coming from him was making anymore sense._

_"I've been pulling away, hiding things. You've been evoking so much, pushing all the right buttons, making me **feel** things again. I never wanted to. You've been so much like Tomoe…but so different at the same time…you're more passionate in what you believe in, stronger, more persistent…but you're just as caring as she was, just as mysterious…just as determined to get through to me…" he continued. "And all this time I've been trying to pull away before I blurted out something I didn't meant to say… somehow, someway, you…"_

_"Kenshin, no." she stated. "You… you had Tomoe…"_

_"That's what I've been trying to tell myself. To stop the same mistake…but you just… you understood…you cared despite who I was…"_

_Kaoru drew in closer, her hands on his face. "Kenshin, look at me."_

_Kenshin lifted his head._

_"There is more to you… you just didn't let anyone else see it…"_

_"But you did." he stated. "You saw. I…I can't hide from you anymore, Kaoru-dono…even if it is to protect the tattered heart now resides within me…if it is to keep you at bay from my enemies…I just can't hide…"_

_And with that, he had tipped her chin up, and almost slowly, but mostly with a lustful hunger he could not longer contain, he captured her lips in a kiss that would have burst the heavens.

* * *

_

Reopening his eyes, Kenshin focused again down at Kaoru.

The scent of jasmines wafted up toward him, encompassing his body with the smell that had haunted him so many nights before, and bringing a strange sort of calm. He looked over her angelic face, before reaching up to readjust a piece of her kimono that had fallen from her shoulder. Kenshin's fingers flew over her collarbone with a featherlike gentleness before he drew away.

A danger was now instilled in her life. It was guaranteed. Kenshin realized this the moment he began his extreme actions with the kiss. He had sealed their fates. Whether Enishi realized this or not was no longer a problem.

Spies were bound to have picked up on the information. Battousai officially had another woman.

Shaking, Kenshin found the inner strength to lean back and fall asleep himself. And for once, no nightmares plagued his dreams.

Sano shook his head. Yahiko just stared.

"They really should think of getting a room next time. In the middle of the dojo." Sano stated his infamous fishbone still in place in his mouth, protruding, like always from the corner of his mouth. "And you shouldn't be staring, Yahiko."

"It's not that." he said. "Look at the dojo. It says Jinchuu everywhere."

His gaze stayed riveted upon the couple lying on the floor. "So that's why they fell asleep out here." A grin crossed his face. "So Kenshin took advantage of Jou-chan's weak moment and got a little of what he wanted."

"You can stop making up your own scenarios as to what happened here." Kenshin's voice came from Kaoru's side. "You're not right anyway."

In shock Sano grabbed Yahiko and attempted to hide his massively tall body behind his brother. Yahiko's gaze continued to be impassive as his brother tried to hide.

"Kenshin, what's this all about?"

Pulling away from Kaoru slowly so he wouldn't wake her, Kenshin pulled away from the position they had fallen into over the night on the floor and leaned against the wall.

"Jinchuu. Revenge. It's from someone in my past…they seek revenge for one I killed and wasn't supposed to." his stoic face had come in place as he muttered the answer. "I can safely say they know where I am now."

"I could've told you that, Kenshin." Sano responded, waving his fishbone with his hand. "I think a monkey would know that much."

"What about a rooster?" came Yahiko's reply.

He didn't get a chance to defend himself from Sano's hand found a resting place upon his skull. Kenshin drew his knee up and stared toward the floor at the kanji that covered almost every square inch. Oddly enough, the part that he had repaired after the fight with Gohei had been covered the most with tiding of Jinchuu. The feelings that this wasn't a coincidence rang through his head as a deep warning, and he took a quick glance over to Kaoru's sleeping body.

"I'm not sure exactly what he's after." Kenshin stated. "I know who he is and I know what I did. But… the cryptic part is what he's going to do. This foe is very unpredictable."

Sano turned toward his friend.

"Well, I can solve that one for you. When and if he shows up, beat his ass down with your sword. If he, for some Kami forsaken reason, gets through you, then he'll have to answer to this." he responded, holding his fist up. "The Futae-no-kiwami is a force to be dealt with, and I'm proud to hold up to my name of Zanza whenever I can."

"He's stronger than that, Sanosuke." Kenshin stated. "Although I haven't seen him in over ten years…I know he's got some power behind this. There is no doubt that Enishi knows what he's doing. He wouldn't attack me if he didn't. He knows I am the Battousai, and he also knows I am the man who killed his sister."

Sano turned paste white. "And Jou-chan told me you didn't kill women…and to think I let you stay here with her all that time…" he mumbled. "I guess I can't change that now."

Kenshin remained silent, processing the thoughts that echoed throughout the caverns of his mind. So many things had been left unanswered…the reason why the Shinsengumi were so close at the same time Enishi decided to show his preparation for attack… none of it made sense. So many people had come after him at the same time. Jineh, the ex-Shinsengumi hitokiri. Saitou's troops were on the dojo's doorstep. And now Enishi. Too many people too soon.

But what confused him more was that everyone one of his enemies had somehow brought Kaoru into everything, even if it was in an indirect way.

"You're Battousai, right?" Yahiko stated. "So can't you predict when this is all going to happen?"

Kenshin looked up quickly. "You won't like my inclination at the moment." His eyes had turned back to the amber shade of the hitokiri.

Sano turned back from his lazy look around the dojo so that he could face Kenshin. "When?"

"Today."

The air had been tense for hours, and now Kaoru was starting to worry a little. She hadn't seen anyone in her dojo not with some sort of weapon. It was confusing and disheartening at the same time. Kenshin had refused to say a word to her, and turned back into the hardened stoic of a manslayer he had been when he first arrived. Sano stood in the doorway with his fists raised high, preparing to attack anything that made a sound. Yahiko had been following her around and demanding 'lessons' ever since she had finished breakfast.

To appease Yahiko, she had carried her sakabatou outside and began to try and teach him the beginnings to the battou-jutsu stance. He wasn't used to it, and the movements confused him but he tried with determination. Kenshin's eyes followed her at all moments she passed him, and unconsciously she could feel his aura outside of the bathhouse as she bathed.

Everything was unnerving and began to make her jumpy. Drawing herself out of the bath, she dried off before donning her uniform again. She'd forgotten to grab anything from her room earlier, so she decided she'd just wear the uniform until she could feel secure enough to change. It was strange enough knowing someone was outside of the bathhouse.

She drew the tied to her hakama tight and finished dressing, pulling her sakabatou into her attire like an accessory before she pulled her hair up into her ponytail.

She took a deep breath before she stepped out of her haven in the bath. Her eyes scanned the area, and her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't spot Kenshin, Yahiko, or Sanosuke anywhere. None of them had been standing outside of the bathhouse. Kaoru shook it off, telling herself they had gone back inside so she wouldn't know they had been watching her the entire time.

And then, a movement above her caught her attention.

Kenshin's head shot up. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand on end. A cold chill of air had suddenly fallen through room, and his eyes shot to the slightly ajar shoji door next to him. With his hitokiri agility and stealth, he moved through the room to the doorway.

His heart began to beat wildly as a strange ki came into his senses. It wasn't a friendly one, he could tell, but all intentions had been well hidden by the person who he was sensing. Sano was in the kitchen, he knew. Yahiko was standing in the dojo, trying to see if he could recognize the person who had placed the indented graffiti around the room.

The only person outside was Kaoru.

Unless…

The door flew open instantly, and his eyes flew off toward the bathhouse. Kaoru was just walking out, and something above her began to stir. She turned and immediately jumped back, pulling her sakabatou out of its sheath.

The sharp sound of metal upon metal rang and echoed off the sakura trees surrounding the dojo.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I APOLOGIZE! I have been HORRIBLE at updating, I realize this. Things just got so hectic……… but before I explain why, here's an update. Too all those of you reading **_Silhouettes of Shadows_**, I have started the chapter and I hope to have it up by next week. To those reading **_Building The Hitokiri_**, I haven't started the chapter yet, but I plan on doing that REALLY SOON! For **_The Legend of Himura Kenshin _**readers, I just have to get off my lazy butt and pop my DVD in before I can post the new on. Don't worry, I'll get to it. Those of you who haven't seen or are reading **_Adrenaline Adoration_**, chapter 2 is up and I think I'll be starting chapter 3 soon and then sending it to Lady Himura for her little tidbits. I'm proudit's already got 21 reviews! YAY! It's in a contest, so reading it would be REALLY nice of you!

Now, for why I'm lacking in updates. First off- four hours of practice a night and then homework on top of that DOESN'T leave you with must time to even THINK of writing in your stories. I apologize. Also, this was an EMOTIONAL wrecking week. You try being told to be in COLLEGE at the same time your in HIGH SCHOOL, having friends talking BAD ABOUT YOU in FRONT OF YOUR FACE, and then having one of your friends on the verge of a suicidial breakdown while you are constantly fighting with your mother. It's not fun. I broke down three times in a week. So, I haven't even had the emotional push to do anything. I'm sorry.

Love and hugs,

Crystal Renee

Ps: I posted a story at fiction press, so if you'd look at it, it's called **_Beauty Behind the Blood_** and my name is SiretaInDisguise.


	13. Destruction of Innocence

**Disclaimer:** ….. I'M RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS OF HOW TO TELL YOU I DON'T OWN KENSHIN ANYMORE THAN I'M THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND!

**Author's Note:** Oh my gosh! I'M SORRY! After a two month hiatus practically, you're finally getting your new chapter. I apologize. This became so stressful suddenly, and a lot of real life problems occurred (I personally think that helping friends through being suicidal is a lot more important than writing in my fanfictions) and I couldn't bring myself to write anything for this story. It took me a long time to update all my stories, actually. **FOR THOSE OF YOU READING _ADRENALINE ADORATION_**: That story has to be put on hold. Lady Himura's computer is down and she cannot send me e-mail or give me the remainder of the new chapter. I would post the 7-page chapter I have, but I need her permission first. I apologize. If her computer is not up by the end of May, I will post the new chapter regardless. Oh, and I wrote the poem at the beginning of the story.

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 13- Destruction of Innocence_**

Destruction of Innocence 

_Smiles fade and reality remains_

_Painting tales of sorrow_

_Torn away and beaten again_

_The soul can fly no farther_

_Broken down and locked away_

_Hiding tears of sorrow_

_Forgotten again and left behind_

_A heart who knows no evil_

Kenshin's world halted in that moment. The sound of metal retracting from metal awoke his senses and he stared forward at the battle. Kaoru slid back, her hands shaking with the unexpectedness of the attack as her eyes flew around the area surrounding the dojo. Her attacker had disappeared as quickly as they had appeared which only forced more apprehension into her. Her eyes noted Kenshin's face and she mouthed words to him of warning, ignoring the gaze he gave her.

Another quick flash to her side caused her jump, using her sword to parry one more attack. Kaoru stopped and held her sword before her, looking with a trained eye for another attack.

The next one came from behind her, and she twisted quickly, knocking her attacker out of the way and stumbling ungracefully to the grassy ground with her spin. She flipped her body over, narrowly missing a second attack aimed to pin her skull into the rocky blanket under her. Regaining her footing and holding the sakabatou before her, Kaoru's eyes darted up toward the roof to her dojo.

"I see Battousai has done well training his woman to fight back." announced the person standing precariously oblong upon her roof. "I didn't expect such swift movements from a woman."

The sound of raining footsteps caused Kaoru's gaze to be averted to the doorway, and then toward Kenshin. "Kenshin, keep Yahiko and Sanosuke inside; they don't need to be put in anymore danger."

Her request had come too late, though.

Yahiko burst through the doorway, stumbling out into the yard beside Kenshin. Not one to let his little brother get in on the action alone, Sanosuke soon followed, standing transfixed beside his friends.

"Jou-chan, what's up?" he questioned. "And who the hell is that on the roof?"

Kaoru's left foot fell back, and she straightened her posture and hold upon her weapon. Her eyes once more went to the person that adorned her roof. His eyes frightened her and chilled her with immense apprehension; he wasn't here for Kenshin. He was after here with a carnal hunger, and a carnivorous lust for blood.

"What do you want?" Kenshin's voice stated. The strained anger and narrowly contained itch to protect came through in his words.

A small cackle was his response.

"Jinchuu. Surely you know what it stands for, Battousai?"

Kenshin took a few steps farther out onto the battleground before taking his amber gaze upon the man on the roof. "I do, Enishi, and that is why your fight for revenge is agaisnt me, not Kaoru-dono."

"That's where you're wrong." Enishi responded casually, watching his foe with amble eyes. "She is the Jinchuu, she is the sacrifice. You killed the most important thing in my life, you took away my sister. Now, you will learn to feel the pain that I did."

Withdrawing his katana, Kenshin took a few more steps out onto the grounds. Enishi leapt from the roof, landing neatly before Kenshin, his sword held casually over his shoulder.

"I wouldn't come any closer if I were you, Battousai. I'll make it more painful." Enishi responded.

"You won't harm her." Kenshin sneered in response. "I won't let you touch her."

Enishi smirked. "I wouldn't attempt a battle with me. I know all about your Hiten MitsurugiI even know the techniques you have yet to learn. I must say, they are quite strong, but not strong enough against this."

Drawing his sword and allowing Kenshin to observe the power within it, Enishi threw his sheath down.

"Besides, you happen to have company."

The sounds of footsteps caused Kenshin to avert his gaze from Enishi and turn it toward the hoards of allies Enishi had brought with him. Snarling under his breath and withdrawing his sword, Kenshin used eye signals to direct Yahiko and Sanosuke to where they were to go.

Kaoru adjusted her hold upon her sakabatou, preparing for the next attack from Enishi. Her heart was pounding blindingly within her ears, and it shaded her sight a bit red with the enormous amounts of blood coursing through her body. Her left foot fell back a bit more, preparing for the strength behind Enishi's sudden take off.

Twisting into a pretzel-like angle, Kaoru forced Enishi's sword into the ground, then brought her own up to slam the blunt edge agaisnt his chin, causing him to land a couple of feet away from her. He was up again in a flash, charging at her once more. Enishi was enraged with what she had done to himthe sakabatou had spared his life, he had to admit, but she had embarrassed him in the process.

The steel of their swords met once again, and Kaoru was forced to step back as Enishi continued to advance.

Forcing his sword back at him, Kaoru turned and ran around the side of the bathhouse, trying to allow herself a chance to breathe. Her lungs hurt from being placed in battle so soon after getting out of the warm bathhouse air, and breathing caused her throat to go dry. Taking another deep breath, she turned to finish her trip around the bathhouse.

Kenshin couldn't stand it. There was no way for him to keep track of Enishi and Kaoru since both had disappeared on opposite sides of the bathhouse. The men that Enishi had brought with him piled up, forcing him to use both his wakizashi and his katana at once to make a small dent in their numbers. Sanosuke and Yahiko had been faring well the entire time, but the numbers of men continued to increase tenfold as more of them fell.

Slicing two heavily armed people at once, Kenshin was allowed another glance from an angle to see the battlefield that held Kaoru and Enishi. Kaoru blocked another attack from Enishi, lifting her own sword to the left to dislocate the shoulder in his sword arm.

And then out of no where a scream pierced through the haze of battle, twisting through the warring men as everything halted. Kenshin's eyes went wide, unprepared to see a sword pierced directly through Kaoru's stomach, staining her pure ebony hair with a reddish gleam. Enishi slashed his sword to the right, causing her limp body to fall off the blade and land roughly agaisnt the wall. She fell to the ground with a thud, the same kind of thud that would echo down the alleys when Battousai hunted his prey.

"You bastard, what did you do to Jou-chan?" Sano's voice was the first to speak up.

"I would think it's obvious." Enishi responded coolly. "But since this doesn't seem to be a befitting punishment, I won't even allow you the chance to bury her dead body."

Smoke suddenly enveloped the area, swirling around the bodies of Kaoru and Enishi. By the time that Kenshin discovered he still had legs and could run, they were gone, leaving the distraught assassin and his young friends to stare blankly at the only thing that remained of Kaoru; a large red pool of blood.

The emotions that played over Kenshin's eyes were extremethe color changed from disbelieving lavender to flaming amber in split seconds, as if his body wasn't positive which overwhelming emotion he should be concentrating on. Neither seemed to be enough to expose everything that he still managed to hide behind his emotionless exterior.

The only other time he had felt this confused was the moment Tomoe had sped before his sword and been dealt and unjust death. This time it wasn't him who cut through the one most important to him, but it hurt just as much knowing he hadn't been able to protect her. After everything he'd been through with Kaoru, all the things that had happened, he hadn't been able to save her from someone who wanted nothing but to seek revenge.

Was he that weak?

Kenshin's palms fisted together, drawing blood from his palms in the process as his fingernails dug deep into the tough skin. Everything was blurring together, murderous thoughts and urges immerging from the darkest corners of Kenshin's heart and mind. He needed to get away from here; he needed to get away from the memories.

"I need to go back." came his gruff voice.

With his new found decision made, Kenshin stalked off down the trail he had taken so many times before; the one he took when he discovered the spirited girl whose life now belonged to the hands of Kami, the one he took to find her when Jineh attacked. So many times, and so many memorieshe needed to get away. He should have learned before that there was no way for him to enjoy peace, hoping vainly that he could forget the job he actually existed to serve.

There would never be peace for him. Even after the war finally ended, he would continue to be hunted until someone managed to destroy him. A fleeting thought of how he could surprise them all and be gone before they could find him passed through his mind, but Kenshin dismissed it.

He had promised Tomoe he'd live. And he'd suffer for that reason until a death was dealt to him justly. But for now, he just wanted to forget.

With one more swipe, the sixth person of the night lost their life to the brutal blade of Battousai. His hair appeared to be melting, dripping small portions of itself upon the unforgiving ground that sucked it up with an unquenchable thirst. The scowl that crossed Battousai's face hardened with images and memories, causing a premature growl to escape his lips. The frustration pent up inside him was only leaking out slowly through each body he tore through and mangledhe had expected the knowledge of his deeds to disguise the torment that plagued him.

Death could only serve him for so longhis walls had been broken down, without the ability to rebuild them. He was vulnerable whether he was going to admit it or not. Life wasn't the same anymore.

_I should have known better…_

Twisting again, he cleaved another man into two separate pieces; each one thrown two yards from it's other half.

_… I should have known I'd never…_

After a momentary clashing of swords, the next man fell into the floor, innards spilling out upon the streets and painting the grotesque scene with their presence.

_… I'd never feel that secure…_

Springing his wakizashi up through the skull of another samurai and his katana into the chest cavity of another, he spun and dispersed more severed limbs and beheaded torsos.

_…It was all an illusion…_

Slice.

_…A dragon in hiding…_

Thud.

_…Awaiting the moment of opportunity…_

Clunk.

_…To create a crevice in my life…_

Swoosh.

_…And end the life of…_

"Himura!"

Battousai halted in his movements, standing straight from his battle stance to glance through blood laden eyelids at his leader. The glare and malice dripping aura Battousai gave off was enough of a warning, but Katsura continued to walk toward his prized assassin. Flicking the blood from his blades, Battousai sheathed his swords.

"Himura, you're pushing yourself too hard. What happened to make you like this?" Katsura questioned, stepping gingerly over what he hoped was the remains of only fourteen men. "You just turned up and took on all these assignments………"

"An assassin doesn't need a reason. We're here to kill." he stated bitterly, turning to face Katsura. "We breathe carnage and live off the blood of others. I was created to be like this."

Katsura winced. "No, Himura. You never enjoyed killing. I know that. Why did you crack? What's caused this lust for blood you suffer from now?"

Battousai withdrew his sword, staring at its magnificence momentarily before pointing it toward Katsura. "A sword cannot protect anything or anyone. It's meant to kill. That is how I will use it, without regret. I cannot protect anyone or anything. I can only destroy and that's what I shall do."

Katsura stared with pity toward the sword in the hands of Battousai. "That's not true. You are indirectly protecting people with every man you slay with your sword."

"But I can't protect when it matters!" he roared, enraged. Unable to control himself, his sword flew across the alley, sticking horizontally from the neighboring wall. "I cannot protect anything precious! Every time I've tried……… it's slipped away………."

"I know the Kamiya woman perished." Katsura stated. "And I know you still grieve for Tomoe. But neither case was your fault."

Battousai's yellow eyes searched the man before him for his meaning. "Not my fault? It was my sword which slew Tomoe, and the grudge because of that act that killed Kaoru! How is it not my fault? Because I didn't mean to kill them? Either way it's still my fault they perished. I'll suffer because of that fact my entire life."

"Mistakes are something that happen to everyone." Katsura advised. "And the only way you can make up for your mistakes is to learn from them."

The silence that met Katsura's ears was threatening and frightening, but Battousai's loyalty toward Katsura ran too deep to place him in any danger. Arguing was not something that occurred often between the two, so the moment was awkward, but neither one would move. They had a ground to stand, and reasons to dictate, emotions to swirl into one and color the painting of Kenshin's future.

It was all so confusing.

"How do you make up for murder without murdering more?" Kenshin asked, his voice low. "That is all I know how to do. I have no other skills."

Katsura moved toward Kenshin, taking on the role of strength for him.

Placing his hand upon Battousai's shoulder and leading him down the dark alley toward the safety of their clan's area, where they could travel in safety. A small calm fell over the two men, setting a serious mood.

"You can make up for all you've done." Katsura stated. "You were never supposed to become an assassin again after Tomoe died. You took on the role after your replacement, Shishio, was burned alive, but it was out of choice. When this war is over, Himura, I will let you leave without a second thought. No one will pursue you, I promise. Then you can discover how you wish to repent for your mistakes."

Kenshin turned to face Katsura. "What will that do for me, or for the people……."

"You cannot help others until you are true to yourself, Himura. Understand that." Katsura responded. "You have a strength you ignore."

Giving Katsura a bewildered look, Kenshin began to ask what and why, but he never received the chance.

"Compassion. You hold a compassion for the innocent that no other man could ever wish to hold. You've pushed your compassion away, trying to become as brutal as possible to protect yourself from the horrors you do everyday. That compassion is what will save you, what will save the army of people you so desperately want to protect. Believe in yourself, do what you feel is right. If you do not, Himura, you will lose yourself to yourself. You'll fall, crash, and dissipate before you can do what you've been working so hard to achieve."

Another small bout of silence followed Katsura's speech as Kenshin carefully thought his words over. Compassion was strength that he had considered a weakness. Was it truly as strong as Katsura-san made it out to be? What was the right thing?

"If compassion is that strong, then why does it cause so much torture to those who care?" Kenshin pondered aloud. "Why does it cause so much anguish to those who take the time to care for other people, despite the wrongs they've made agaisnt them?"

"Because, only the strong can handle that." Katsura stated. "It takes courage to be as compassionate and righteous as you were when you first agreed to become the shadow you are now, Himura, and that was what drove you until Tomoe. After she died, it was her memory that pushed you on, and your promise never to kill after the war ended. But since the Kamiya girl, Kaoru, you've been so enraged that you've forgotten all of that."

"She didn't deserve to die because of something I did wrong. Kaoru-dono never needed to suffer on my behalf, for my mistakes." Kenshin rationalized. "I was immobile……… useless……… and the battle wasn't even meant to involve her………"

"But she did. You cannot change this." Katsura reminded him. "No matter how many people you display your anguish upon with your sword, you'll never change the outcome of that fight, and you can never heal your wounds by being as brutal as you think you should. You're conscious will not take much more of the abuse you through at it, Himura, and that façade of impenetrability will fall apart sooner than you expect. You cannot safeguard yourself forever."

Kenshin turned to his leader. "Katsura-san, this……… I cannot help what I am, what I do."

"It was a defensive reaction to your grief." Katsura responded. "No one can blame you. But you must realize that as you suffer on your own, the two people you left at Kamiya Dojo, Zanza and his little brother, they suffer because of the girl's death just as you do. You're not as alone as you think you should be, and you should accept that."

Kenshin allowed Katsura's words to sink into his mind, into his body. He was right. When Kaoru died, he had purposely dropped everything to leave, and in the process, left Sanosuke and Yahiko to fend for themselves, to grieve on their own. It had been a selfish act, but Kenshin rationalized that he had not been thinking clearly the moment he did it. All he could feel was a fire of anger and sorrow enveloping his body, threatening to combust his being.

And thus, he had done the only thing he was familiar with. He began to slaughter without thought, without remorse, but to ease his mind of the memories.

"Himura, there is something that you must know." Katsura continued. "I've looked into the mishap, and I feel now is the time to tell you."

"What sir?" Kenshin questioned, opening his attentions to what his leader had to say.

"There was more to this Jinchuu than you originally expected. It was not meant mainly to kill Kaoru and destroy your life to that extent solely." Katsura began.

Kenshin turned his eyes wide. "Sanosuke and Yahiko, they are alright, are they not?"

"Zanza and his brother are alive and fine, that is not the meaning of Jinchuu. Those who live shall replace those who they have killed, by living in a hell upon earth." Katsura recited. "Enishi Yukishiro planned this out specifically so you would suffer more for what you did, for what you lost, than he had to. His work his not entirely completed yet, considering the main point of his revenge is still alive."

Kenshin stopped, processing the information as quickly as he could. Kaoru had been the main point of his Jinchuu, had she not? But if she wasn't, then who was? What else would he lose?

"What else is he planning to do?" Kenshin questioned. "I cannot kill Enishi. He was Tomoe's brother, and even though I know Tomoe could never forgive me for how she died, I do not wish to anger her spirit more by destroying her brother. What are Enishi's plans and how do you expect me to end them?"

"There is not way to stop his plans without another face off, Himura, because this time, things will not be a setup to destroy you from your own self pity. The next time Enishi takes his sword to you, he will do exactly what you think he has done, and then you will die from your self hatred."

"What do you mean?"

"He never killed the Kamiya girl. Yes, he did injure her, badly at that, but since the battle she has been treated and now resides as his trump card upon a small island fortress. If you meet him with her, he will kill her this time, directly so you can feel her blood on your skin. That is his Jinchuu."

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**Author's Note:** FINALLY! I'm pretty happy with the chapter and I hope it was worth the wait. Forgive me for taking so long? Please review to let me know if I still have your support!

Love and hugs

Crystal Renee


	14. Lonely Footprints

**Disclaimer:** The same answer as always. You decide.

**Author's Notes:** Enough with the excuses—Yes, this chapter is extremely overdue, I know this. You'll have to forgive me. Life was hard, and in all truth, I will lie to you, **I'VE LOST INTEREST in this story**. I know I said I would NEVER not finish a story, and that I wrote 'Silhouettes of Shadows' with absolutely no interest, but this story is so much harder to continue. So I'll let you decide**— should I keep going, with sporadic updates, or should I just stop the story?** And don't give me an opinion due to the chapter's ending**. If you decide I should stop, I'm willing to let another author complete the story.** But I won't lie—I've lost interest to the point that this story is a backache to write.

ALSO! Please do take the time to visit my website (the link is on my author's page).

**_Breaking Through_**

**_Chapter 14- Lonely Footprints_**

Kenshin burst through the door without attempting to knock. There were too many emotions shooting throughout his body and mind; every movement was done on impulse. Searching the room wearily, Kenshin spotted Sanosuke down the hallway.

"Sanosuke!" Kenshin yelled, waiting patiently for Sano to turn around.

Sano spun around, and then stalked his way down the hallway until he was directly in front of Kenshin. The look that adorned Kenshin's face only forced deeper rage into Sanosuke, until finally, his fist connected with the flesh of Kenshin's cheek. His punch burned, but did not deter Kenshin.

"What the hell right do you think you have, to come back into Kaoru's home?" Sano stated, venom seething through his words. "You left us all here! You left her behind just because she died!"

Kenshin rubbed his cheek, surprised to realize he had managed to bite into his cheek when Sano punched him. He tried to whip the blood away from his mouth before he responded to the question, but found his attempts futile. There was too much of it coming out at once.

"Kaoru's not dead."

"Don't lie."

"She isn't!" Kenshin persisted. "Enishi took her for a reason; she was still alive. He nursed her back to health and has been keeping her hostage since."

"Then why aren't you going after her!" he responded. "She needs you to go get her!"

"I can't get to her alone." Kenshin stated. "And that punch was uncalled for, Sanosuke."

"What do you mean you can't get to her alone? You're the Battousai, remember?" Sano stated. "But if you do need my help, I'm here to offer assistance, if it involves rescuing Jou-chan from a lunatic. I wouldn't want you to mess up and get her killed."

Kenshin sighed then resumed a seated a position on the floor. "I need to figure out exactly where he has her………"

"You mean you don't know! If you don't know where she is, then how do you even know that she's alive?"

Lazily moving his gaze from the floor to his friend, Kenshin answered the question. "Reliable sources told me, and this source has never once steered me in the wrong direction. She's alive."

Both men sat in silence, each one thinking of the same thing but in different directions. They had to figure out where Kaoru was, one way or another, before Enishi did kill her. There were so many different ways to go about the task though, so which was the best?

"Considering you're a samurai, and far from being a citizen, then I'll go through town and see what I can find in the gambling houses, bars, restaurants and stuff." Sano stated finally, breaking the unnerving silence in the room. "Then you can go back to your source and see if they know anything else they we don't yet."

Kenshin's eye brow rose. "You wouldn't be looking for a new reason to gamble and drink, would you Sanosuke?"

"Of course not! Jou-chan's in danger, I don't have time to just mess around like that!" he defended. "Geez, you have such little faith in me, Kenshin………"

Kenshin stood up slowly, placing his swords back into his cloth belt and arranging them next to his hip once more. He shot Sano a quick glare as a warning not to mess around before saying anything else to the gangster.

"We'll meet back here in three hours." Kenshin stated. "If you don't come and I have to go after you, then you'll regret it."

"I'll be here." Sano stated, slamming one fist into his palm. "And the same goes for you."

A grin flew over Kenshin's face. "You don't have to worry over that, I'll be back before you."

Each one rushed off in opposite directions, Sanosuke toward town and Kenshin back toward the Ishin Shishi base to speak more fully to Katsura. It was possible that he had more information than he had originally stated.

Traveling back down the same trail he had gone down time and time again, he forced his way through fallen foliage and uprooted stones; he fought the elements and his skills to run harder, faster. If it was possible that Katsura knew more than he had told him, then he needed to hurry; if they could get more on Enishi and gain the upper hand, they had a better chance of getting Kaoru back alive.

He slowed his steps when he came close to the base; the last time he had rushed inside, the men had believed that something was wrong and chaos had exploded. At the moment he didn't need to waste that kind of time trying to calm down excited hoards of samurai; he just needed to calmly speak with his commanding leader and then leave again. Taking calculated steps into the building, he searched the surrounding area with determined, emotionless amber eyes until he spotted who he needed to speak with.

"Katsura." Battousai stated.

Katsura looked up from his meal to his prized assassin, then nodded and motioned for him to enter the room. Waltzing in, Kenshin kneeled beside the small table and bowed slightly to his leader before looking up at him.

"You want to know something?" Katsura questioned him. "Himura, I know you don't come to me unless you have a favor or a question."

"The island fortress, what island is it on?" Kenshin asked. "I need to know so I can get to Kaoru-dono as quickly as possible."

Katsura leaned backward. "It's not far from here, really. If you go to the docking bay and ask to go to the closest, privately own island then you will meet with him there."

"Why an island? I thought only hitokiri operated near water………"

"Don't be fooled by its location." Katsura responded. "Just because it's an island doesn't mean it's going to be that easy to break into the confines he has placed around the Kamiya girl. I told you it was a fortress, meaning the entire island is one. You're going to have some problems if you try to infiltrate the area on your own, Himura. I'd suggest you take someone along with you if you insist on gong after her."

Kenshin narrowed his eyes and nodded. "I'm already taking Zanza with me."

"I don't think the two of you will be enough. It's your decision who you bring, considering you know you can trust them, but I think you're going to want a larger party."

"I don't have many other people I can turn to, Katsura. I'll have to go about this with my one man army." Kenshin responded.

Katsura nodded. "Go as you see fit. I'll be waiting to hear how you did."

Nodding, Kenshin stood once more and bowed again to Katsura. "Thank you, Katsura-san; I am indebted to you far more than before."

Katsura shook his head. "You owe me nothing, Himura, just go and find her and bring both of you back alive and unscathed, okay?"

Kenshin nodded and then sharply left the room, taking corners and doorways until he was outside once more, looking up at a sky that was bleeding into the darkness of night again. He held his head downward while thinking over his conversation. It was possible that when he got there, she could be dead, he reminded himself. But there was also that chance that if he never came, she would be killed as well. He had to take chances. He did not have time to doubt himself or his technique.

That thought in mind, he reminded himself, meant that he could have no distractions; this fight was on the battlefield of his heart and his existence as well as Kaoru's, and he couldn't risk harming her or himself in the process. He couldn't kill Enishi, either, which was making the ability not to doubt himself all the more difficult. How was he supposed to fight without killing the man? It was obvious he couldn't hold back during the battle.

But there had to be some way.

Shaking his head to dismiss the thoughts, Kenshin continued on his trek back toward the dojo. Sanosuke would be there before him if he didn't hurry up and travel faster.

Picking up his pace, Kenshin sped through the trail of memories that he'd traveled before. Grinding his teeth together to get rid of the images that were clouding his thoughts, he pushed onward until he found himself at the junction of the field and trail.

This was where he had first met Kaoru, and the place he had to travel through each time to get from her dojo to his base. This was where he practiced to get away from the looks of everyone else; even after he had run from the dojo in his anguish filled rage; he had come back to this exact spot solely to practice and calm himself.

He tried to decide if he should stop and swing his sword a few times, just to see if it would calm him down at all. He decided against it; they would be leaving early in the morning for the island most likely, and he had to get back to the dojo before Sano. After they talked, then he'd come out here to think some more. There were still unresolved problems he had to take care of before they left to get Kaoru back.

Picking up his pace again, Kenshin continued back toward the dojo, regretfully retracing steps he had taken time and time again, each time with a single set of footprints in his loneliness.

There was no more time for him to sit there and wait. The sun would be rising soon; he needed to prepare. Forcing his body to stand from its tired position against the wall, Kenshin lifted his sword and walked away from the room he had been cowering within. There was a little time for him to perform practice kata if he wished; he wanted to be positive he was prepared.

He already knew there wasn't much more he could do in the realm of practicing. His movements now were trained and mechanical, perfect every time from the point of starting to where the point of the blade rested when he completed the maneuver. When you were stuck in a war, precision was the line between life and death.

But Kenshin was pushing for a deeper form of perfection. He had to perfect everything from the spasms in his muscles to the displacement of each grain of sand. Everything he did had to be perfect; there was no margin for error in his upcoming battle. In all truth, it didn't matter to him if he lost his own life in the fight, but if he did not live until the end of the battle, then Kaoru would surely die.

The fate of the one he was trying to protect was relying upon his existence. For all the time he had felt he deserved death, this one time that he realized he needed life outweighed them all. He could not remember ever being this nervous– there had never been a time before when the fate of someone stood directly in front of him. Every other time he had been incapable of rescuing them; this time, he would not allow history to repeat its bloody chapters again.

Not this time.

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**Author's Notes:** Extremely short, but if you READ THE FIRST AUTHOR' S NOTES, then you know the reason why. And I apologize. Don't forget to leave your opinion on the state of this fic. If you are willing to take up the loose ends of writing this fic, do let me know—if more than one of you apply, then you'll have to write me samples so I can choose the best candidate to continue this, so leave your e-mail addresses for me.

Love and hugs—

Crystal Renee


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